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Being a “Chill Guy,” But Having a Stormy Mind
When your outward presentation doesn’t match your internal dialogue
Most people who are reading have never met me in person, and will likely never meet me in person. But on first impression and interacting with me in a professional or casual setting, many people think of me as a “chill guy.”
My voice does not ever give off a ton of emotion, and I speak at a slow pace. I never show getting rattled by a crisis, no matter how severe (despite internally being bothered or rattled). My wife says that on first impression, I sounded like a Californian surfer dude who did not have a care in the world. A lot of people who have interviewed me or have not known me for a long time have described me as “soft spoken” and “quiet”, which is likely what other people will get from first impression too.
As such, most of my awards and accolades as a teacher have revolved around my ability to be calm and keep my composure no matter the circumstances. I was cleaning out my office after wrapping up six years of education. Three years ago, when I left my previous school, I won a “keep your cool — you are one chill teacher!” superlative.
