Happy Monday, or whatever Monday you choose.
There is a great Depeche Mode song where they tell us to “Get the balance right.” I don’t know what is going on in your life, but it’s probably everything all at once since that is my life. Whatever is going on, you have to deal with outside influences. Whether it is your significant other, your co-workers, your families, your workload, or those little surprises that life brings us, you have to find a way to combine and compromise.
“You take the good, you take the bad,
you take them both, and there you have
The facts of life, the facts of life.”
The Facts of Life Lyrics by Alan Thicke, Gloria Loring, and Al Burton
source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/thefactsoflifelyrics.html
Sometimes we try and change everything all at once. When I try and do that, I end up running around like a chicken with its head cut off and nothing to show for it. Perhaps you are a super person and can manage all that. For the mere mortals amongst us, consider acting as a scientist in this grand experiment of life. Change one thing and then step back and assess and adjust as necessary. Get that part in balance before moving on to the next thing. Don’t forget to check your emotions as well.
But, and there is always a but – it’s just going to change again? Fair point. The only thing constant is change. In this day and age, the changes seem lightning fast. You may feel like you are on a derailed roller coaster hanging on for dear life. Drives control freaks like myself nuts. However, we don’t always have to be in control. In fact, we are fooling ourselves if we think we are in control of everything. If you can find your center and the balance we just spoke about, you can remain in a calm place when the world seems like it is spinning out of control. If you are in an awkward spot right now, hang on, it will change. It doesn’t rain forever.
You may be thinking to yourself; I’ve heard this all before. Don’t you think I want to be balanced and centered and all that stuff? The good news is that you know how to do this. It will require work, effort, and vigilance, but you can do this. You are the boss of you. When you are ready to take control of your life, you will see some breakthroughs. I remember I was overwhelmed at work. I had too many things going on and was ready to quit. My manager at the time noticed that I was not my usual self. She had a conversation with me, and I told her how I was feeling. She listened, and she said to me that if I needed help, to ask for it. After speaking out loud how I felt, nothing changed, and everything changed. My workload had not changed, but my attitude had. Knowing I could ask for help was the Ace in the hole that I needed. I never did ask for help. My perception changed so much that I was able to focus and get things done. That is what worked for me; you may find a different solution. Are you ready to let go of what does not serve you?
What's next? That’s really up to you. If you insist on trying to control everything and hold on tightly, you may not be able to grasp the things you want in your life. Sometimes when life is overwhelming, you may want to stick your head in the sand. It will not stop the change. You may just get buried in the sands of time. Avoiding the problem only makes it last longer. I hope you will do the work and investigate your thoughts and feelings. As our friends from Depeche Mode remind us, “Get the balance right.”
