Change is hard for all of us at times. My last post had a possible change looming before me. I had quite the ride studying information but wanted to be informed when I went for the visit with my neurologist. I wanted to be ready for the change. I was actually relieved to find I didn't have to change and my life could go on as before.
But this last scare got me thinking about other changes in life. During the past couple months, I've had changes to my eye site, changes to my family (my daughter is getting married), changes to my income, and changes to our vehicles. While these are minor, it still got me thinking.
What do changes do to us? Do we get upset and stressed out? Or do we go along with the flow? I'm guilty of getting stressed out. I like things to go according to plan. I absolutely hate a wrench being thrown in to my neatly organized life.
A few years ago, I was involved with the girls in my church group. We would plan activities, and I'd keep a calendar with all the ideas the girls came up with. Now, we all know teens don't keep things according to schedule. They show up late, over plan, and have their own agenda. I know that and should have gone with the flow. But I was highly stressed out when things didn't go as we'd planned. I had an assistant who was the best thing for me and turned out to become a very good friend. She taught me to just go with things, accept changes to the schedule, and don't let things like this stress me out. She had a calming influence on me throughout this whole experience.
Change happens to all of us. It's inevitable. It's how we handle it that makes us who we are. Years ago, at my first full-time job, I went into my boss' office and I announced, "We have a huge problem." He looked at me and clarified, "No, we have a situation." I was young, fresh out of college and an English major, and flippantly replied, "There really isn't a difference in those two if you were to look them up in the thesaurus." "True, but when people hear 'problem,' they think bad things and don't want to change it. When they hear 'situation,' they think of a dilemma or quandary and immediately start thinking of solutions to change it. So we never say 'problem'." He proceeded to ask me about my 'situation' and then, he gave me another wise bit of advice "Will it matter in 100 years?"
After I left his office, I thought about those two bits of advice--"Situations instead of problems" and "Will it matter in 100 years?" I must say I've used those when changes have come -- moving to a new state and leaving everything behind; going on a new MS medication; who to vote for in a presidential election; what house to buy; whether to forgive a person who has offended me; whether to eat that extra piece of key lime pie :) ; and the list goes on.
Change is hard no matter what our circumstance or what the situation is. Life is full of it. I think it is how we handle that change which defines our character. I have made strides on not stressing out over every little change that comes into my organized life. I have found I kind of like life a little randomized. I thank my old boss for his advice and my friend for 'go-with-the-flow' attitude and teaching me change is what happens. I need to learn to love each season as it comes. And maybe so do you.
But this last scare got me thinking about other changes in life. During the past couple months, I've had changes to my eye site, changes to my family (my daughter is getting married), changes to my income, and changes to our vehicles. While these are minor, it still got me thinking.
What do changes do to us? Do we get upset and stressed out? Or do we go along with the flow? I'm guilty of getting stressed out. I like things to go according to plan. I absolutely hate a wrench being thrown in to my neatly organized life.
A few years ago, I was involved with the girls in my church group. We would plan activities, and I'd keep a calendar with all the ideas the girls came up with. Now, we all know teens don't keep things according to schedule. They show up late, over plan, and have their own agenda. I know that and should have gone with the flow. But I was highly stressed out when things didn't go as we'd planned. I had an assistant who was the best thing for me and turned out to become a very good friend. She taught me to just go with things, accept changes to the schedule, and don't let things like this stress me out. She had a calming influence on me throughout this whole experience.
Change happens to all of us. It's inevitable. It's how we handle it that makes us who we are. Years ago, at my first full-time job, I went into my boss' office and I announced, "We have a huge problem." He looked at me and clarified, "No, we have a situation." I was young, fresh out of college and an English major, and flippantly replied, "There really isn't a difference in those two if you were to look them up in the thesaurus." "True, but when people hear 'problem,' they think bad things and don't want to change it. When they hear 'situation,' they think of a dilemma or quandary and immediately start thinking of solutions to change it. So we never say 'problem'." He proceeded to ask me about my 'situation' and then, he gave me another wise bit of advice "Will it matter in 100 years?"
After I left his office, I thought about those two bits of advice--"Situations instead of problems" and "Will it matter in 100 years?" I must say I've used those when changes have come -- moving to a new state and leaving everything behind; going on a new MS medication; who to vote for in a presidential election; what house to buy; whether to forgive a person who has offended me; whether to eat that extra piece of key lime pie :) ; and the list goes on.
Change is hard no matter what our circumstance or what the situation is. Life is full of it. I think it is how we handle that change which defines our character. I have made strides on not stressing out over every little change that comes into my organized life. I have found I kind of like life a little randomized. I thank my old boss for his advice and my friend for 'go-with-the-flow' attitude and teaching me change is what happens. I need to learn to love each season as it comes. And maybe so do you.
Great post, especially for me this week. I tend to be like you and stress about things when they don't go as planned, so this is a great reminder to calm down, focus on what is important and go with the flow more. Thanks. Take care and be well.
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