Why we should all love Scrooges

You can tell by now that these emails aim to help us embrace who we really are rather than changing ourselves into different people. Today, I want to embrace and love all the Scrooges out there.

Are you a Buddy the Elf or an Ebenezer Scrooge? During the holiday season, there can be a lot of pressure for all of us to be more like Buddy and embrace the joy of the holiday. But let’s face it, Buddy isn’t perfect. Yes,  he makes a magical Christmas wonderland in a department store. On the other hand, he gets hit by a car, attacked by a raccoon, and eats gum off the railing. I mean, really! Buddy needs a good old-fashioned Scrooge to tell him when things are a bad idea. Here is why we need Scrooges and how they make our lives better.

They help us troubleshoot potential problems.

Have you ever had a project or idea that you are really excited about? The ones where everyone is on board. Then you try it, and it falls to pieces. Why? Because you didn’t have a Scrooge to keep you in check. Scrooges are problem identifiers. They may not help you solve the problems, but they sure will let you know precisely what is wrong or potentially wrong. When I was reviewing medical student evaluations of a new program,  a colleague always said this line whenever we had a negative comment.  “This is really good information to have.” And she was right. It doesn’t always feel good to hear the negative. Sometimes it even feels like a personal attack. It is good information to have, whether or not you use it for improvement.  Sometimes the negativity can get too much. You certainly don’t have to listen to every negative comment. You do have to keep your Scrooge in check. Otherwise, you run the risk of being a complete defeatist and thinking nothing is ever going to work. Look for the golden nuggets of information you can use and disregard the rest.

They keep us grounded

My husband has scrooge-like tendencies. It used to be something that bothered me, but now I love it. He keeps me grounded. When I plan a million adventures for the day, he is the one to say are you sure? When stuff just needs to get done, but I want to play, he is there to ensure I still get it done. I'm not saying he is not fun because he really is the best person. If we lived completely to my whims, we would forget to pay bills, lose our house, and never have clean clothes. He keeps me grounded, so we have the time, money, and shelter to enjoy all my  Buddy-the-elf plans.

Their joy is a brilliant holiday miracle

We all know how this movie ends. Scrooge finds his Christmas spirit and spreads joy to everyone. I think the joy of Scrooges is one of the most brilliant and beautiful things to witness. It doesn’t come around every minute like Buddy, but when it does, everyone in the room feels it. 

Next time you see your Scrooge, give them a big hug and thank them. And if you are the Scrooge, thanks for keeping us all on track. The world needs you!