Code & Connection

From Help Desk to Heartfelt

This week has been… well, interesting, to say the least. My workload? Through the roof. You know those weeks when there’s just way too much on your plate? Yeah, that’s me right now. I’m trying to stay on top of things, keeping that delicate balance between productivity and not letting the stress eat me alive—but it’s been a challenge. You ever feel like you’re just one email away from completely losing it? Same. I’ve forgotten more tasks than I’d like to admit.

Honestly, I’m just out here doing my best to keep everything from falling apart. Trying to stay productive, balance work and life, not get overwhelmed—while pretending to be an adult who has it all figured out (spoiler: I don’t). But in the midst of all this chaos, something small but surprisingly meaningful happened. One of those little moments that just... shifts your whole perspective.

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So, anyway… I’m at work, already stressed, and of course, my laptop decides this is the perfect time to start acting up. Because, of course, technology just loves to mess with you when you’ve already got a million things on your plate. So, I take myself over to the IT department, hoping they can fix this mess before I lose my mind.

There’s this new guy—he hasn’t even been here a year—and a woman I know from a different facility I used to work at. We’re not super close or anything, but we start chatting while they work on my laptop. You know how it is—just making small talk to pass the time.

So, about an hour goes by because, of course, they’re setting me up with a loaner laptop while my poor, overworked computer gets sent off for repairs. Meanwhile, we’re just talking about everything under the sun—work, life, random stuff. You know how it is when time just slips away. I wasn’t even paying attention to how long we’d been chatting.

Then, out of nowhere, they hit me with compliments. And not just your typical, “Oh, you look cute today” type of compliments. No, they went a little deeper than that.

Now, let me just say, I’m not trying to be conceited here, but let’s be real—who doesn’t like hearing they look good? First, they started with the usual: “You’re so beautiful.” Which, I mean, thanks! I’ll take it. But then they start talking about my “energy”. My aura, if you will. They said I had this beautiful vibe about me. Like, “You seem so kind and fun and insightful.” And they even threw in that I have this balance of being poised and funny at the same time. Poised?! Me? On a Tuesday, stressed out over tech issues? Chile, I was just as surprised as you are reading this.

But honestly, it was wild to me that they picked up on all that, just from us talking. We don’t even know each other like that, but here they are seeing all these things about me. Guess that’s what happens when you just show up as yourself.

Now, let me tell you—I’m a naturally friendly, talkative person. That’s just who I am. So I guess that came through while we were chatting, but what threw me off was how these two, who barely know me, picked up on things that are so me. Like, wait... how did they see that? We weren’t exactly having some deep, soul-baring conversation. It was just another regular workday, and honestly, I was mainly focused on getting my laptop back to life so I could tackle the mountain of tasks waiting for me.

But somehow, they saw me. And they said something. Right there, in the moment.

And honestly? It felt amazing. Not just the compliments themselves, but the fact that they noticed qualities I didn’t even realize I was putting out there. Especially at work, where warmth and friendliness aren’t exactly the first things people dish out. Let’s keep it real—most of the time, folks at work aren’t going around handing out heartfelt affirmations. So, this? Definitely not the usual.

That whole experience really made me stop and think about how we move through life. Most of the time, we’re out here just doing our thing—working, running errands, making small talk—and we don’t even realize how we’re coming across to others. Those everyday interactions that feel so normal to us? They might be way more meaningful than we think.

You’re just going about your day, minding your business, and meanwhile, someone else is noticing you in ways you wouldn’t expect. They’re picking up on your vibe—your energy, your kindness, your humor. You’re not even trying to make an impression, but it happens anyway.

That conversation really reminded me of the ripple effect we all have. The energy we bring, the way we treat people, how we carry ourselves—it all leaves an impression. And sometimes, that ripple comes back to you in the form of a compliment or a kind word you never saw coming.

What really hit me was how genuine it all felt. They weren’t complimenting some front I had put up. They weren’t talking about “work me” or some version of myself I show to make it through the day. They were talking about the real me. The person who shows up to work every day—probably a little stressed and frazzled, but always trying to be kind, positive, and keep it together.

I wasn’t putting on a show. I was just being myself on a day when, honestly, I was barely hanging on.

And that’s what made it feel so special. It was a reminder that you don’t have to have everything figured out. You don’t need to be perfect or have your life tied up in a neat little bow to make an impact on the people around you. Just showing up as your authentic self is enough.

Actually, it’s more than enough. It’s magnetic.

So, I walked away from that conversation feeling genuinely grateful. Not just for the compliments, but for the reminder that magic happens in those small, everyday moments. It’s not always the big, dramatic, life-altering events that matter the most. Sometimes, it’s those unexpected connections that sneak up on you and remind you who you really are.

Maybe that’s the lesson this week: Stay open to those little moments. Keep showing up as your true self, even when you feel like you’re barely holding it together. You never know who’s watching, who’s listening, or who’s being quietly impacted by your energy.

Because at the end of the day, those small moments? They can be the most powerful. And honestly, that’s a beautiful thing.

XO