Dysfunction on Parade

One thing that has come abundantly clear to me in this past week is that life is absolutely filled with dysfunctional people. They can be your co-worker, your family member, your executive, your direct report, you name it, they're everywhere. Even people that you'd consider to be immune from it, due to their stature and success, are easily as susceptible to be abject psychos- right Mel Gibson?

Unfortunately, dysfunction seeks to propagate dysfunctional environments, and it is really easy to get sucked into that maelstrom. The key to living a healthy and happy life is avoiding that whirlpool of psychosis, at least as much as is possible. Sure, sometimes it can't be avoided, and that point it becomes critical to steel oneself and rise above the craziness. However, what's even more important to surround yourself with good people, and to do all you can to protect and cement those relationships. Those folks in our lives are our calm in a storm; are our foundation when our top levels are crumbling around us.

A wise man once told me that you cannot truly appreciate joy until you've known pain, and the same applies to our healthy and unhealthy relationships. This week has made me see, with abundant clarity, how much I need and cherish those around me that care about me, support me, and do so all out of love and kindness, and not due to a game or agenda. For them, I am so very grateful.

As you head down your respective path, I wish you the same level of support, honesty, and health that I am blessed to have.