Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Although breakups are usually associated with ending what were once romantic relationships, breakups actually come in all shapes and sizes.
For instance, there’s the breakup with your doctor, especially if you’ve used him/her for several years. In actuality, you’re breaking up with the office staff since it may take years for your doctor to realize you haven’t returned. After all, it took years for your doctor to associate your name to your face. But as soon as you request your records be transferred, the staffer’s tone takes on a coldness and the rest of your conversation is formal and uncomfortable. And if you’re anything like me (empath reminder), you feel really bad doing this if your doctor was a kind person, just no longer meeting your needs.
Breaking up with your dentist is very similar, except there’s a huge fear associated with switching dentists. Since most people are terrified of dental pain, and rightfully so, trying someone new is a frightening proposition. But the breakup process is the same, cold and formal.
This next breakup ranks as one of the most difficult ever. Breaking up with your hairdresser, which is like breaking up with your shrink since they know as much about you as your shrink does. It’s so hard to change hairdressers when they have become your confidantes and often vice versa. And then how exactly do you do it? Do you cancel your next appointment and say you’ll call back to reschedule? Do you tell them you’re going to try someone else and expect them to not get their feelings hurt? And what if you try someone else and want to go back? We are talking AWKWARD. Whether I’m happy or not with my hairdresser, I’ll probably have to move out of the city or die because I just can’t do it.
Other breakups may be a bit easier, but not always, such as with your long-time mechanic, your childcare provider, etc. You get the picture.
Feel free to suggest any breakup techniques you have mastered. I’m sure most of us could benefit from them.
P.S. Thank you, Judy Dent for this blog suggestion.