The scenes are familiar. A restaurant customer rudely demands more prompt service, while a harried server struggles to cheerfully float between multiple tables.
A caregiver must model patience and compassion while navigating the tantrums of small children. And a nurse must soothe a sick patient while being the recipient of his berating demands.
At some point or another in our jobs, we have all experienced emotional labor, the strained endeavor to be outwardly graceful in the face of inward discomfort.
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