Usagi and I are a store that doesn't cheer up customers.
Photo of Usagi and Me inside the store
"Let's have a great day today too"
"Smile all day today."
I think if the owner of a restaurant wrote something like this on social media, it would change the customer base.
People might be very worried that you're too busy and have gone crazy.
The owner is not a very energetic person to begin with.
The owner isn't very excited.
There is hardly any sense of vigor, they don't speak loudly, and their facial expressions rarely change.
Even when he goes to a rock concert, he never raises his hands above his shoulders, and stands there watching the stage from start to finish. He's mostly silent, and occasionally sits down.
There's no difference whether it's on or off.
It's not that I'm unmotivated or lazy, it's just that I feel that way when I'm spending my time naturally. If you look at it in a positive way, it's "natural," but I don't think that's the type of person who works in a typical cafe. Even if I had an interview, I probably wouldn't be hired.
I know it's better to smile, but forcing myself to act like that isn't good for my mental health, and I'm worried that in the end the other person will see through me and realize that I'm not being sincere.
Today, I tried practicing smiling, and the muscles in my cheeks were trembling.
I guess it's better not to push yourself too hard after all...
It's hard to say "do your best" and to be told that
It may not originally have that meaning, but I feel like the word "ganbaru" (to do one's best) also carries the nuance of "pushing oneself too hard."
It's often used as a beautiful phrase, but I don't think it has a very positive connotation.
So, there is no one around me who isn't trying hard, everyone is trying hard. I also think that there is no need to tell people to "try hard."
Even people who appear cheerful and smiling from the outside may be acting tough, or they may seem like they're forcing themselves... When I look around me, I see a lot of people like that.
To put it in perspective, it feels like the water level has risen up to your neck, and you have to stand on your tiptoes, struggling to breathe every day.
The word "do your best" is like pouring water into the water and raising the water level even further.
For some people, these words can be so mentally devastating that they could be fatal.
I personally don't use it much and I don't tell anyone about it.
Rather, I tend to use expressions like "without overdoing it."
Usagi and I are a store that doesn't cheer up customers.
We are not the type of people who are cheerful and lively, so we don't have the desire to "make our customers happy." We don't smile much ourselves, so we can't say things like "make our customers smile."
They don't encourage customers to do their best, and they don't push people forward.
However, if a customer comes to the store and looks tired, accept them as they are and be there for them. Rather than giving them a push, gently pat their back and tell them it's okay.
If you're struggling to breathe, try sipping a little water to help you breathe a little easier.
It may not cheer you up, but it can ease your pain. I hope to create an atmosphere where, after leaving the store, customers feel like, "Well, it seems like everything's okay," or "Maybe I can relax a little."
Its role is "mitigation."
This seems like a way to create a store that makes use of our own personalities and backgrounds.
See you soon.
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