Workplace Observation

Apprehension in the Workforce Struggling with anxiety is an internal conflict that has consumed most of my everyday life. Miniscule tasks such as attending social events, meeting new people, or speaking aloud in an uncomfortable environment have become my biggest fears. Several days were devoted to agonizing panic attacks and an abundance of overthinking. As a result of these recurring outbursts, I postponed the opportunity of searching for a job for an entire year. A few months before I turned seventeen, I came to the impulse decision of applying myself to a job and figuring out the rest later. My job interview hardly lasted a total of two minutes; one hundred and twenty seconds of shaking, panicking, and stuttering. However, I got the

Tiffany had an abundance of patience with me throughout my battle of getting past my anxiety. Since she had similar experiences with anxiety herself, I was able to confide in her assistance and turn to her for problems I faced. For the first few months of my employment, she helped me every step of the way. Although it started with exceptionally slow baby steps, such as simply greeting a customer, she showed constant support and encouragement. Other bosses would have grown peevish or irritated after the continuous routine of telling their employee to become more outgoing and social, but she remained persistent in seeking improvement. Without the moral support she provided, I would have easily lost the ambition to break out of my comfort zone. Mike Rose mentions in his paper “I Just Wanna Be Average” that his teacher Jack MacFarland “couldn’t have come into [his] life at a better time” (Rose 189). I can relate this idea to my relationship with my manager. She became part of my life during a time when I felt drowned in my anxiety, helped me overcome the obstacles I faced on a daily basis, and built me back up to who I never thought I could be. While I have not completely overcome my trepidacious antics, I have come a lot further from where I was a year ago. I noticed a massive amount of progress in my social skills; growing to enjoy talking to customers and offering assistance without being asked