Life Lessons Learned From Making Coffee for a Living

Everyone has a story to tell and something that makes them unique.

Now that the world is beginning to open up, you may be frequenting your favorite coffee shop more, and you should. Many have been closed for the best part of a year, and the staffs that work there have also been off work for that long. It can be a new and exciting experience to return after so long.

I especially found that a few weeks ago when I returned to work. For the best part of fourteen months, I was paid by the government to ‘stay at home.’ I don’t praise our government much, believe me, but their generous furlough scheme has been life-saving for many people. By paying people to stay at home and limit their contacts with others, it probably prevented many unnecessary deaths.

Returning to work was scary. It may sound dramatic but sitting at home for that long, in the confines of your own walls and not being in the routine of talking to strangers, doesn’t prepare you to be thrust back into the normal world. When serving my first customer on that nervy morning, my stomach was doing butterflies, and my hands were shaking so badly I could barely steam the milk.

In short, it was a terrifying experience. Now, a few weeks in, it almost feels normal again. As I have returned to this job, I’ve been feeling somewhat reflective.

For all those who work in customer service-based jobs or hospitality, I’m writing this piece for you. Unfortunately, we don't often get enough credit. We’re usually paid the minimum wage for a physically and emotionally draining job. It has its ups and downs. But one thing is for sure; it’s given me a lot of valuable life lessons. Here are just a few.

Everyone has something that makes them unique

Being a barista or working in a hospitality or customer-based role is almost solely dependent on interacting with people. You can speak to twenty or thirty different people in a day, and they all have a story to tell. More often than not, people want to talk. So, in many ways, part of being a barista is listening and providing a space for people to vent.

In a day at work, I see and talk to so many different people. Every one of them has something unique about them or a story to tell.

During my first week back, I spoke to an eighty-year-old man who asked me for my advice on a computer problem. I did my best without seeing the computer before me, but we continued to chat. He told me about his estranged relationship with his son and how he wished he saw more of him. I could see the pain in his eyes and the regret. But, on the other hand, he was glad to be out and have a slice of normality back after so long.

This is just one example of the stories I hear daily. It reminds me that every person is unique and has their own set of problems, desires, and worldviews. We’re never all the same. We don’t even have to deliberately try to be different as we are naturally.

It may sound cliche — but speaking to so many people with different stories reminds me that it’s okay to be different. It’s okay to stand out from the crowd. It’s what makes life interesting and compelling. You may think you are pretty ordinary and don’t stand out from the crowd. That might even be your intention. But someone else is always going to notice your beautiful differences.

A people-focused job can leave you constantly inspired. Hearing about the lives and stories of strangers gives me endless inspiration for articles (like this) and makes me realize the power of being alive.

Being patient travels miles

This works both ways. Our cafe has lots of Covid restrictions. We have screens up against the till, and people have to wear masks when they are ordering. It can be hard to hear people at the best of times with all the background noise.

Most of the time, I have to ask someone to repeat something. If they’re nice and understanding, they won’t mind. But there have been some occasions where I’ve been snapped at.

I’ve been back at work for a few weeks now, but I’m very much still adjusting to the hustle and bustle of ‘normal’ life. Some days it will hit me like a tonne of bricks, and others, I’ll act as if it never happened. If a customer is rude or impatient, it makes me question everything. On the other hand, if a customer is fully understanding, it makes my day.

Being patient and understanding is a small gesture, but it travels far beyond the cafe walls. It’s a mindset we should all be adopting, especially after the year we’ve had. If anything, the pandemic should have taught us all to be more reflective and understanding of other peoples’ lives.

We’re all only human. We mess up. We say things we don’t mean. We’re naturally infallible beings. This can be hard to remember if you’re in a long queue for your daily flat white and you need to be somewhere. But try and remember, for all our sakes.

The importance of being kind and showing it

We’re now having more conversations about mental health than ever. ‘Be kind’ has become somewhat of a buzzword on social media and within society at large. But so often, people will say this and then be disrespectful to people and not consider the consequences of their own actions.

Doing so can be detrimental for somebody with an anxiety condition. We’ll second guess everything, panic, and catastrophize. Of course, that’s on us with the way we deal with the situation, but it shouldn’t have to happen in the first place.

It’s the small things. For example, when a customer asks how you are, brings a tray back full of dirty cups and plates, or gives you the correct change to pay their bill. It’s not being deliberately awkward and expecting us to cater to your every demand. It’s thinking like a human and trying to do your best to make someone else’s day hassle-free because you never know what someone is going through.

You see a person making your coffee, smiling and chatting away, but you don’t see what’s underneath. So, therefore, it pays to believe in kindness and always show it.

People who work in this industry are heroes

We often have to smile through anger, frustration, or tears, have long hours on our feet all day, and get paid very little. People in high places will often sneer at the fact we’re ‘only’ a barista or a waitress, and we don’t earn a high-paying salary. But the truth is, people like us keep the clock ticking and the world turning.

We’re there when you’re dying for a drink or something to eat. We’re there when you need someone to talk to or just need to get out of the house.

But above all, every job has a place. We are all doing something worthwhile regardless of how much we are paid or our social standing. For example, I’ve been working in customer service on and off for about five years. It’s been grueling but endlessly rewarding. Along the way, I’ve met people who go above and beyond. Who make peoples’ day and are prepared to make people smile all the time.

People who work in these roles are so hardworking and never put themselves first. Therefore, we should admire them and treat them with respect, regardless of how much they earn.

Much of the hospitality industry is made up of young people and those in their 20s. Many of us are doing this not because we love it but because we’re chasing our dream careers. It pays the bills, but it’s not where we want to be.

We should get even more respect despite this. Hopefully, the next time you go out to eat or grab a coffee, you’ll think about this.

Final thoughts

From every job you have, and everywhere you go, you have the opportunity to be observant and learn about people. Working in this industry is a staple. For people aren’t only coming out to get their coffee. Sometimes they are, and it’s clear they want to be left alone. But a lot of the time, they come for human interaction and want a space to have a conversation.

This job has its inevitable ups and downs, but the best thing about it is that it’s taught me to be a better person. I listen to everyone I meet, respect them, and will be kind at all costs.

Thank you for reading.

If you want to read more of my writings, you may check out the following articles.

• How to Navigate Friendships with Anxious People
• Lessons Learned from Reading 50+ Books in 2020
• An Honest Review of My First 6 Months on Medium

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