(Group Hug)

'I appreciate you' is a phrase that everyone loves to hear.  I had to attend a conference was about elevating your mood elevator with 40 other co-workers.  Basically saying this phrase is suppose to shoot you to the moon like Willy Wonka.  I was feeling pretty good after day one!  However, the second day something happened… something horrifying!

The forty participants were told to put our chairs into a circle.  Next every person, one at a time, would stand in the middle of the room.  Then that person would turn and look at everyone else 'the crowd' circling him or her.  The crowd members would raise their hands if and only if they appreciated that individual.  Now, you think everyone would throw their hands in the air; however, the coordinator really wanted to make the crowd squirm because the individual standing in the middle had to pick out two people that had their hands up.  Those people pick would have to come to the middle of the circle and say why they appreciated that person.  UMMM, can you say awkward duck?!

So here is how it went... The first person named Eric went to the middle of the circle and started the dreaded turn.  I had no idea who he actually was, but I felt it was necessary to raise my hand.  Honestly, I didn't quite understand the direction.  Now the moment that we were waiting for… who did he pick?!…. "You with the red shirt."  Oh my goodness gracious, he did the unthinkable… he picked ME!  He didn't even know my name, so why did he pick me?! I walked to the center of the circle, stood toe-to-toe with this guy and had to tell him what I appreciated.  I had nothing that I appreciated about him that was work related, so I told him how much I appreciated him for loving his fiance.  Yeah, I sounded like an desperate dork, but it seemed to please him.

After Eric sat down there were six people that had to go before me.  Somewhere between Eric and me it turned into a 'I appreciate you,' 'let's hug,' and 'I'm crying' fest.  Oh my lanta, I was so uncomfortable that I was sweating and all I was hearing was my uncle's voice saying "Emily, you shouldn't do that anymore," after I told him I had hugged the hiring manager when she told me I got the job.

It was my turn.  I slowly walked to the center of the circle and wondered who would appreciate the new girl?  This was absolutely horrible like a popularity contest in high school!  I very, very awkwardly I started my 306 turn and watched people put up their hands slowly… not everyone, but quite a few - thank goodness!  I decided I really didn't want to hug my managers, so I picked a marketing lead and television marketing lead.  Each one walked to the center and stared me down and told me why they appreciated me.  To sum up what they appreciated - I am always so bright eyed and bushy tailed and eager to learn…. HELLO, my eyes are always that big!  Once the heart-felt messages were said I started walking back to my seat because I had no intention to hug them.  My plans never go through because someone from the crowd said, 'what no hug!?'  I stopped dead in my tracks turned to the two and stretched my arms out.  GROUP HUG!!!  Seriously, most awkward moment!

I will never "hug it out" again.