Ask Stacy, The Sassy Social Worker

10/27/2025

10/25/2025

💥 Stacy the Sassy Social Worker: Professional Philosophy

I don’t do compliance for compliance’s sake. I do purpose.

I’ve spent my career helping people untangle themselves from systems that shrink their humanity — and somewhere along the line, I realized I needed to do the same for myself. I’m not late because I don’t care; I’m late because I refuse to sprint toward burnout just to prove I belong. My value doesn’t live in a timestamp. It lives in the work, the connection, and the change I help create.

I show up fully present — not just physically clocked in, but emotionally engaged, creative, and grounded in integrity. When I’m trusted to do what I do best — listen deeply, lead with empathy, and build systems that actually work for people — I thrive. When I’m micromanaged or measured by meaningless metrics, I shrink. And I didn’t spend all these years learning how to help people grow just to keep myself small.

Professionalism, to me, isn’t about conformity. It’s about authentic alignment — showing up with honesty, compassion, and accountability. I believe in structure that serves people, not the other way around. And if that means I challenge a few outdated norms along the way? So be it. Growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones or cubicle clocks.

I’m not looking for a job where I have to “fit in.”

I’m looking for a mission where I can stand out — and stand for something real.

I don’t do compliance for compliance’s sake. I do purpose.

I’ve spent my life helping others heal from systems that made them feel too loud, too late, too emotional, or too much — and I finally decided to stop apologizing for being those same things myself. I’ve seen what happens when people trade authenticity for approval. You lose your spark, your creativity, your truth. And that’s not why I got into this work.

I’m not late because I don’t care. I’m late because I refuse to sprint through life as if being busy equals being worthy. I don’t clock in to check a box — I show up to make a difference. When I walk into a room, my clients feel seen, not managed. That’s not something you can timecard.

I believe in showing up whole, not hollow.

I believe in systems that bend to meet human needs, not humans bending to meet broken systems.

I believe that empathy is efficiency — because when people feel valued, they give you their best.

My work ethic isn’t measured in arrival times; it’s measured in impact. Ask the people I’ve served, the teams I’ve led, or the interns I’ve mentored — they’ll tell you I don’t just meet goals, I transform them. I turn chaos into clarity, burnout into boundaries, and red tape into relationships.

Professionalism, to me, means integrity, transparency, and humanity — not perfection. I’m not afraid to question, disrupt, or rebuild. I value collaboration over control, creativity over conformity, and meaningful work over meaningless metrics.

I’m not here to fit in. I’m here to redefine what leadership, social work, and authenticity can look like.

So if you’re looking for someone who color-codes compliance binders and never questions a policy — I’m not your person.

But if you want someone who will pour their whole heart into transforming lives, building systems that actually work, and modeling what real professional integrity looks like — then pull up a chair.

Because I’ve got stories, sass, and the receipts to back it all up.

09/11/2025

My heart is heavy hearing of Charlie Kurk’s death. No matter your belief system, we should all feel grief that once again, a lack of civility and respect for humanity has stolen another life.

As a social worker, I cannot stress this enough: this is NOT acceptable. We cannot normalize violence, hate, or the idea that disagreements should end in tragedy. We need to reclaim a time when people could agree to disagree and still sit at the same table, still coexist, still value each other’s humanity.

This is bigger than politics. This is about the fabric of our communities, our campuses, and our homes. When civility dies, violence rises. And we’re seeing it play out again and again.

Prayers for Charlie’s family. Prayers for our college campuses. Prayers for society. But let’s be clear—prayers aren’t enough without action. We must recommit to modeling respect, rebuilding trust, and teaching the next generation that human life always comes before ideology.

The violence has to end. Period.

REST IN PEACE: Political activist Charlie Kirk has died after being shot at an event on Wednesday afternoon at Utah Valley University. He was 31. DETAILS: bit.ly/461nk8Q

09/10/2025

🍁🍂 I’m working on more leaves today 🍂🍁

Ready soon (likely tomorrow ~ 9/10), necklaces and even some bracelets!

Check back soon or follow this page for update photos later today!

🌻See You at The Bijoux🌻

09/10/2025

Civility Is on Life Support
(And We’re Pulling the Plug)

Let’s be real: civility is not just “please” and “thank you.” Civility is the grease that keeps the whole social machine running. And lately? That grease has dried up faster than my patience when someone “forgets” to use their blinker.

We’re living in a time where shouting matches go viral, anonymous trolls feel like keyboard warriors, and even family dinners sound like poorly moderated debate clubs. According to a Georgetown University survey, 93% of Americans say the nation has a civility problem, and 68% call it a “major” problem. Spoiler alert: they’re not wrong.

How Did We Get So Rude?

Stress + burnout: Research links economic pressure, mental health struggles, and chronic stress with increased irritability and conflict. Translation: everyone’s cranky.

Social media madness: Studies show online anonymity lowers empathy and increases aggressive communication. Basically, hiding behind a screen turns some people into gremlins.

Role models gone rogue: When public leaders treat insults as sport, it trickles down. Monkey see, monkey do.

Why Civility Still Matters
(Even If It Feels Old School)

Listen, civility is not weakness. It’s not about being a doormat or faking “nice.” It’s about basic respect. Research from the workplace shows that incivility leads to lower morale, higher turnover, and decreased productivity. In families and schools, it erodes trust and communication. In communities, it divides us so deeply that compromise becomes impossible.

Without civility, conflict resolution becomes combat. And last I checked, we don’t need more wars—verbal or otherwise.

What Can We Do?

Here’s where the sassy rubber meets the messy road:

Pause before you pop off: That “snappy comeback” might feel good in the moment, but does it build the relationship? (Probably not.)

Lead with curiosity: Instead of “you’re wrong,” try “help me understand.” Yes, it feels corny. No, it’s not weakness.

Use the “I feel…when you…” formula: It works at work, at home, and yes—even on Facebook.

Model it for the littles: Kids are watching how you treat servers, drivers, and cashiers. Want respectful teens? Show them respectful adults.

The Bottom Line

We can’t legislate kindness. We can’t control every troll on the internet. But we can decide whether civility lives or dies in our corner of the world. Choose civility. Model it. Demand it. And for goodness’ sake, stop normalizing rudeness as “just the way things are.”

Because here’s the thing: civility isn’t dead. It’s just waiting for us to resuscitate it—one respectful conversation at a time.

✅ Sources:

1. Georgetown University Institute of Politics & Public Service (2021). Civility Poll: Americans agree incivility is a major problem.

2. American Psychological Association (2023). Stress in America Survey.

3. Lapidot-Lefler, N., & Barak, A. (2012). Effects of anonymity, invisibility, and lack of eye-contact on toxic online disinhibition. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(2), 434–443.

4. Porath, C. (2016). The Price of Incivility: Lack of Respect Hurts Morale—and the Bottom Line. Harvard Business Review.

🛠 Civility Hacks for Everyday Life

Because let’s be honest: the world doesn’t need more lectures—it needs tools that actually work.

1. The 3-Second Rule:
Before you snap, clap back, or hit “post,” pause for three seconds. Ask: Is this helpful, hurtful, or just me being hangry?

2. Upgrade “You Always” to “I Feel”:
Instead of: “You always interrupt me!”
Try: “I feel unheard when I get cut off. Can we try taking turns?”
Still sassy. Way less war-starting.

3. Use the Magic Question:
When someone’s being extra, try: “Help me understand what you mean.” It slows the heat and makes people feel heard (even if you still think they’re wrong).

4. Praise in Public, Correct in Private:
Works with co-workers, partners, kids, and even in-laws. Public shaming just makes people defensive. Private correction? That’s where growth happens.

5. Emoji Check:
Before sending that spicy text/email, run it through the “emoji test.” If you wouldn’t say it with a smile 🙂 or a shrug 🤷, don’t send it.

6. Civility Sandwich:
Not to be confused with a passive-aggressive compliment sandwich. Try layering:
Respect → Honest feedback → Respect.
Example: “I appreciate how much you care about this. I disagree with your approach, but I want us to find a solution together.”

7. Take It Offline:
If your blood pressure spikes during an online argument, log off. Screens escalate conflict. Humans de-escalate it.

These hacks aren’t rocket science, but they’re life-saving in workplaces, homes, and relationships. Civility is a practice, not a personality trait—and the more we use it, the stronger it gets.

I hope this helps you in some way. Created by human and AI.

09/04/2025