
this + not realizing that working hard/giving 110%/other similar euphemisms were, in fact, the millionth neurotypical exaggeration i didn’t detect. turns out they only really mean that either sarcastically or maybe if someone’s trying for a big promotion, NOT my 17 year old people pleaser ass becoming the best damn employee at the salad shop by FAR for the one summer i was there. i received no positive consequences for this.
I’m not an empath in “I feel people’s emotions” way I fawn in “please don’t be mad at me” way. Working in food service kinda brought me back to childhood living w my mom who I’ve been no contact w for 10 years and I constantly made myself smaller to avoid people noticing me and dreaded everyday bc I was waiting for one person™️ to bring out his anger on me. Good news now is I’m 8 years no contact w my mom and I realized when I have a nervous system response similar to when I was a child