Nothing compares to the life lessons I took away from working in food service for 9 years… yes, 9 years. I’ve got stories to last a lifetime.
Whether you’ve waitressed or not, you’ve probably been involved in this exact conversation:
Waitress: “What can I get for you tonight?”
Guest: “I don’t know what I want, what do you like?”
Waitress: “I love the scallops, the salmon, and the arugula flatbread.”
Guest: (shaking their head) “NO NO NO! I’ll just go with the chicken parm. I love chicken parm.”
If you’ve ever been in food service, you know the scene all too well. People don’t actually want your suggestions. They may consider them, but typically it just helps them make the choice they were already going to make. Deep down, they already know what they want.
Are you asking for everyone else’s opinions before listening to your own?
Are you looking to everyone in your life to tell you what you should do? Maybe it’s your parents, partner, friends… You’re asking for opinions, Google searching, and looking for the answer outside yourself. Deep down though, you already know the answer.
Everyone at the table of life does not get to weigh in on your choice. You’re ordering for you! Maybe your partner wants you to order something because they want a bite. Maybe someone else is a vegetarian so they tell you not to get meat. Maybe someone else wants you to get what they’re getting. While others opinions and advice are sometimes needed and appreciated, they shouldn’t be put before our own beliefs and feelings. It comes down to you ordering the dish that makes your mouth water, that brings you joy, the dish you deep down, know you want.
Deep down, you already know.
You probably already know what you want. The key is learning to listen to your inner voice, the voice that’s been quieted over the years. If you’ve been living according to everyone else’s order, it’s time to do some self-reflection. Stop and think for a bit.
Are you living in a way that makes you happy and content? Do you allow people to make choices for you because it’s easier that way? Do you know how to listen to that small voice in your heart?
When we choose to listen to others above ourselves, we may find ourselves with a plate full of things that don’t serve us, don’t fill us up, and don’t hit the spot. Instead of feeling satisfied and full we leave feeling guilty about wasting money and calories on food that didn’t even taste good.
It’s time to start ordering the life that makes your mouth water, the life that fills you up, the life you think about for days on end and keeps you coming back for more. Why settle for someone else’s crappy seafood suggestions when you don’t even like seafood?! Heck, order cake for dinner if that’s what you want.
You already know. Honor your voice, girl!
Megan Rodriguez SAYS:
I absolutely love this article! Being in the food industry myself for I think 3 or 4 years. This makes sense and I’ve been struggling for awhile to what to order. Depending on others to tell me what to do and to push me. I need to do it myself. Absolutely love LOVE this article!!