How to be less sensitive..?

[Rgupta]

I feel like my sensitivity is slowly killing me, and it's making me relapse on old habits. I have extreme ups and downs in my life, very similar to a person with bipolar disorder. I have a job that requires me to have thick skin..so I need to find a way to get past this. I'm self employed, and as such I need to call around the neighborhood when someone's prior realtor didn't successfully sell their home. I get up at 6:30 every morning, look at the houses that expired, gather up the numbers, and I start calling around 8:00 AM as that's when most people are awake. Well, I'm bound to meet some nasty people along the way. One woman left me a voice mail calling me a "trashy vulture" and several other mean things. This shouldn't bother me, I know I'm an extremely giving person, but it still bothers me. Ever since this happened a few days back, everything seems to be going downhill. I can't stop sleeping, I lash out, I don't want to do anything, I have unhealthy thoughts (which hasn't happened in over 5 years). I don't want silly things like this to bother me..it's embarrassing that I have to vent at all. But I don't know how to let it stop bothering me.

[Hermes]

RGupta.

 

I honestly do feel that you would be better in another line of work altogether. You are likely not suited to being in a "Sell House Fast - We Buy Any Home" - "We buy any house for cash" outfit.

 

The people targetted are very likely in a tough corner, and do not react kindly to being carpet-bagged.

[SkellyWoozle]

There is nothing wrong being sensitive - BUT in a job like yours where you are going after vulnerable people (and I mean that in a literal sense!) then you will of course come up against people who are at the end of their tether, feeling backed into a corner and may lash out at people they feel are harassing them or trying to get them to make quick decisions. Maybe you're just not cut out for that kind of stress - I know for sure I wouldn't be. Also, and I know I can speak about this because I too am self employed, it's blimmin' hard being the person who brings home the cash and the pressures are immense at the best of times to make the sales quickly and efficiently.

 

If you feel that your career is in selling houses, then can come up with something else which isn't quite so demanding and stressful?

[Hermes]

RGupta. Perhaps a job with a more conventional real estate company would suit you?

 

The present job is getting to you:

 

" I can't stop sleeping, I lash out, I don't want to do anything, I have unhealthy thoughts (which hasn't happened in over 5 years).2

[pippy longstocking]

I did smile , sorry , only I do have bi polar and yesterday was crying my eyes out over a tv ad in particular a yorkshire pudding !!! and today could happily kill most people !

 

Anway I agree with the girls , this is a tough job to be in and the people you meet are at their worst ..are you able to branch out into something else . Other than that what about anger management .. this would give you some tools to be able to deal with your emotions , not just the anger part but the trashy way you feel as well .

[rosephase]

If you could choose between finding different work and becoming less sensitive what would you choose?

 

I'm a sensitive person. I cry very easily. People getting in my face is really deeply upsetting to me. I work in a field that requires a LOT of high pressure interactions with people. Sometimes when people are upset, stressed out or just mean it wrecks my day. But I believe in what I'm doing. I know that I'm helping a lot of people. So when I have a hard experience I'm pretty good a self soothing. I also have friends, partners and co-workers I can lean on. It helps. Because in my line of work I actively cultivate being sensitive, aware and empathetic. It makes me better at my job. When I was working in a different field it just drained me and left me feeling empty and exhausted all the time.

[Hermes]

RGupta. From your OP I gather you are in a "Quick Home Buyers" call-centre.

 

I think definitely move from that lot. If you have no choice but to work in a call-centre then perhaps a different sector might be a good idea.

Also I believe you are only 20.

[Ms Darcy]

Do you think you could get a different, less stressful job?

[Wiseman2]

You need to flip this around. A person who leaves a VM like that is the one with the problem.

left me a voice mail calling me a "trashy vulture" and several other mean things.

 

]

[Hermes]

In actual fact OP the woman who left that message was correct.

 

All and I mean all of these "Quick Home Buyers" (we have dozens if not scores of these "companies" here too) are vultures, and are known as such by both the public and the media. In other times they'd be called carpet-baggers.

They circle and circle, buy out desperate people for a quarter of the value of their house and re-sell then when the market improves.

 

Do you actually want to work for an outfit like that OP?

[Batya33]

I agree that if you do not believe in what you are selling and if you also are targeting a vulnerable population with a questionable product the problem is your choice of work, not your sensitivity.