I Am Not Professional

My entire working life, being “professional” was emphasized as the standard of behavior in the workplace. But the work environment spans a vast terrain of settings, each with its own unspoken rules of engagement.

Social and industry pressure pulled me into more affluent circles. Now that I think about it, it’s crazy how the status of people with money gets equated with quality. That isn’t necessarily true.

Over the years, I realized people are often buying exclusivity.

I found many of those environments to be reserved, stoic, and cold. The unspoken rule seemed to be: whatever and whenever for the person with the most money.

I could see the excitement in people’s eyes at the mere thought of being in the presence of someone famous, wealthy, or well-connected. It became an accepted social reality—people with money can get whatever they want. People with money are smarter. People with money deserve the best.

I met wonderful people in every setting, but those exclusive, wealthy environments weren’t a good fit for me.

What they did do was teach me about myself.

They exposed me to people I wouldn’t normally encounter.

They gave me perspective on how differently people can view the world—and others. I noticed how rarely people reach outside of their comfort zones.

How often people prefer to be around others who look, think, and live like them.

In professional settings like these, I was a servant. I was there to be at the beck and call of the person being served. In the eyes of some, my sole purpose was to serve—that was my identity.

In some cases, I was even made to feel “lucky” to serve this caliber of people.

There were also moments where people felt they shouldn’t have to pay me for my work.

And I’ll be honest—I got real unprofessional.

I called it out. I reminded them they were human just like me. I told them it was classless and in poor taste to behave that way.

And I always got paid.

More importantly, I kept my dignity and self-respect intact.

My experience in Thailand showed me something different: foundational respect.

It sounds like it should be common knowledge, but it’s actually a practice rooted in humanity. It doesn’t matter who you are or how much money you’re perceived to have.

Being human means being treated with respect. Service comes from the heart.

Because at the end of the day, most of us are part of the service industry in some way. As human beings, we are here to serve each other.

When I think about being “professional,” I think of something stiff, fixed, and performative. In my experience, it can feel insincere and transactional.

But when I think about being of service, I feel alive.

My eyes light up because I get to operate in purpose. I get to show up fully. I get to connect with another human being. I get to be curious about people’s wants and needs and find creative ways to meet them.

It becomes an opportunity to learn, engage, and solve real problems.

Warmth, eye contact, and genuine care create trust and safety.

It’s not about being professional.

It’s about being human.