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Started new job first job too and Wanted to know if anyone else is like this?

Jena

Jena

Well-Known Member
So I started my very first job at age 21. Farm aid at a zoo. Want to be a zoologist since I was born. Anyways my personality is usually timid shy unsure of everything socially awkward and can't talk to any humans without anxiety and my social awkwardness thanks to aspergers come in. I normally struggle with doing things and able to remember to do things correctly.

However, today it was like my entire personality changed? Idk if anyone else on the spectrum experience this before. But I didn't once get mad at someone for anything I normally would and I couldn't even tell if my heart was beating and I wasn't tired and I LITERALLY INTERACTED WITH THE GUEST SO MUCH THAT I GOT SO MUCH PRAISE. I didn't even hesitate to tell someone not to throw bags in the pen of the goats. I helped so much and interacted and educated the guest about the animals and didn't once felt anxious.

If this was somewhere else i would of probably be so anxious I wouldn't be able to. So does anyone else on the spectrum experience a personality flip when dealing with your very special interest or is this just me?
 
When I find someone I can talk to about my special interests - and they are also interested in them - I just open up and feel no social distress. I'm very happy for you having such a good first day at your new job. Congratulations!
 
GadAbout said:
When I find someone I can talk to about my special interests - and they are also interested in them - I just open up and feel no social distress. I'm very happy for you having such a good first day at your new job. Congratulations!
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thank you so much! Actually fun fact you see my profile pic? Well that prairie dog photo I took just so happens to be taken at the exact zoo I am working. I love it so much. And i didn't even notice the sunburn on my face or the fact my legs were achey. Everyone was so friendly and so nice and was told by everyone how well I was doing. Even the guest told me how great I was.. LIKE WHEN GUEST TELL YOU THAT YOU JUST KNOW YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. I also had a little boy ask me how do I know so much about animals, lol. I look at him and told him well when I was your age I would be studying and just passionate about them. And he was suprise I was his age at one point in my life LMAO. Like is it bad to be this excited about a job and post how great your day was on social media? I just love petting the goats and thanks to my hypersensitivity to things I tend to become more cautious and weary of what people have near the goats or in general like when I saw people hover their hands over the goats I told them to pet them rather on the side cause hovering is threatening to all animals and actually including me lol. I get terrified by people hovering over me same way animals get. I also told them pet them on a side you will become great buddies with them and have a friend for life. lmao.
 
You wrote "is it bad to be this excited about a job" and I have to answer no, but you may get tired out if you have this much enthusiasm every day. Pace yourself and be sure to get enough sleep.
 
I'm the same way! :cool:

I don't know who that dood is that teaches piano to 28 students a week, but he looks and sounds just like me!!! :eek:
 
Not for years, but I used to. I have had spirts of extreme confidence, where I raise my head when walking and felt ok around people. I have felt fearless, but rather than embrace it, I would run away, because they were so fleeting, it was cruel.
 
I don't normally talk very much, but if I find a person who is interested in something that I'm interested in, I do talk more and open up a bit more to them than I normally would do. I get an adrenalin rush, get excited and feel kind of high for a while, but when the adrenalin is gone, I feel exhausted.
 
Congratulations!!! That sounds totally amazing! Isn't it wonderful to find a place where you belong and you can really shine just being you?

I had a similar experience when working in a bike shop. I love bikes (maybe that's my special interest?) and I can go on for days about them and I love helping customers to find the bikes that will make them even a fraction as happy as they make me.

I would say to you: don't question it! Ride this wave for as long as it's there for you! But do be careful of burnout. All of this interaction all of a sudden might leave you drained before you realize what's happening.

But, really, that's super awesome for you. It makes me happy. Do you have weasels at your zoo?
 
That's wonderful! It sounds like you've found somewhere that really suits you. You've done really well and deserve to be excited and pleased.
 
Jena said:
If this was somewhere else i would of probably be so anxious I wouldn't be able to. So does anyone else on the spectrum experience a personality flip when dealing with your very special interest or is this just me?
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Of course. When it's truly a special interest, you're "in the zone". You're "humming". You are so in touch with a particular thing that it dominates your mind in real time without so many considerations of social factors that might otherwise drag you into the ground. :cool:

It's something that will be a wonderful confidence-builder for you as time goes on. :)
 
Good to hear this. My special interest is sports and politics. So I've been able to go to work and have discussions about that. When you have those discussions at work it really does make work more enjoyable.
 
Jena said:
So I started my very first job at age 21. Farm aid at a zoo. Want to be a zoologist since I was born. Anyways my personality is usually timid shy unsure of everything socially awkward and can't talk to any humans without anxiety and my social awkwardness thanks to aspergers come in. I normally struggle with doing things and able to remember to do things correctly.

However, today it was like my entire personality changed? Idk if anyone else on the spectrum experience this before. But I didn't once get mad at someone for anything I normally would and I couldn't even tell if my heart was beating and I wasn't tired and I LITERALLY INTERACTED WITH THE GUEST SO MUCH THAT I GOT SO MUCH PRAISE. I didn't even hesitate to tell someone not to throw bags in the pen of the goats. I helped so much and interacted and educated the guest about the animals and didn't once felt anxious.

If this was somewhere else i would of probably be so anxious I wouldn't be able to. So does anyone else on the spectrum experience a personality flip when dealing with your very special interest or is this just me?
Click to expand...

100% yes and glad you are having a good time. I hate people - really struggle with interactions with customers. Then i was pit on tills. I was then told on many occasions that i was the best in them and went above and beyond. Like a completely different person and i have to admit - it felt great!
 
Judge said:
Of course. When it's truly a special interest, you're "in the zone". You're "humming". You are so in touch with a particular thing that it dominates your mind in real time without so many considerations of social factors that might otherwise drag you into the ground. :cool:

It's something that will be a wonderful confidence-builder for you as time goes on. :)
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thanks! Lmao. I really was humming xD. Literally. I felt like either Snow White or Cinderella today with the budgies at the aviary with my broom sweeping dust away from the path with all the birds chirping away today lol. It's true it very much is so much confidence building techinique B)
 
Pinkie B said:
Congratulations!!! That sounds totally amazing! Isn't it wonderful to find a place where you belong and you can really shine just being you?

I had a similar experience when working in a bike shop. I love bikes (maybe that's my special interest?) and I can go on for days about them and I love helping customers to find the bikes that will make them even a fraction as happy as they make me.

I would say to you: don't question it! Ride this wave for as long as it's there for you! But do be careful of burnout. All of this interaction all of a sudden might leave you drained before you realize what's happening.

But, really, that's super awesome for you. It makes me happy. Do you have weasels at your zoo?
Click to expand...

we don't have weasels as far as I know, but we do have North American River Otter which is part of the Mustield Family which is the same family weasels belong to.
 
Fino said:
I'm the same way! :cool:

I don't know who that dood is that teaches piano to 28 students a week, but he looks and sounds just like me!!! :eek:
Click to expand...
I don’t know who that bloke is that drives thirty meter loads of steel into London with police escort but he looks and sounds just like me
 
You’re not alone. Animals and alcohol are the only things that can make me act “normal” without having to try.

..I don’t drink very often though.
 
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