Some people at work make things harder than necessary.
I have learned to be careful about how precisely I name them, even in my own mind. A label can harden an irritation into a fixed story.
I pay attention instead to what happens in my body. I notice the tension, the impatience and the weight a simple request can suddenly carry.
For a while, I tried to explain one colleague’s behaviour. I wondered whether it came from ambition, carelessness or a lack of awareness.
The questions consumed more energy than the interactions themselves.
I began to see how much space she occupied in my thoughts after each exchange. I would replay what happened, revise my responses and prepare for conversations that might never occur.
Eventually, I realised that understanding her motives would not give me the relief I wanted.
Other people had similar experiences with her. Their agreement reassured me that I was not imagining the difficulty, although shared frustration did little to improve the situation.
The useful change came when I returned my attention to myself.
I stopped analysing her inner world and focused on the choices available to me. I could answer what required an answer, set boundaries without announcing them and leave the rest alone.
Work feels lighter when one person no longer determines the tone of my day.
Professionalism requires clarity about my responsibilities and limits. It does not require me to absorb every difficult interaction.
I do not need to like everyone I work with or understand why they behave as they do.
I only need to keep my side of the street clean and walk home with my peace intact.
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