Does it always pour when it rains?

I’ve been working on this topic for about 3 weeks now. It originally started when the weather was literally cold and wet and the mood around me was just dreary. At the time I was dealing with a dozen projects, new concepts, the end of the kids’ school year and a couple family members in the hospital. The world felt like it was pouring anxiety and wasn’t letting up long enough for me to breathe.

photo by JGoode
photo by JGoode

Today as I write this almost all of the happenings of 3 weeks ago have been resolved, finalized, healed or otherwise. Yet, new issues, tasks, conflicts and worries have taken their places. While one issues seems like it is the top priorty of my universe, as soon and there is a solution, a new issue becomes the top spot.

This is a reality I think is worth noting and finding a new route to manage. There will always be tasks and issues and changes and things to handle. There will always be some kind of “urge” priority while other items take the second seat in my lobby of responsibilities. I think the goal then is to learn to let the stress go entertain itsef and not get in my way.

Part of this process is going to require me to give up control on a few things. If i see an issue I know how to handle, yet it’a not my issue to solve, I need to learn to let it go. I should probably learn to leave it alone, but I can’t seem to keep my mouth closed if I can think of a way to deal with something… I have to at least share my insight. I mean really, what if I don’t share my view and it could have helped someone else? Yet, if I am going to continue to brainstorm with others, I need to learn to no hold on to the ideas – needing them to be acted upon.

I think, for me, another difficult task is going to be learning to look past the choices my children make. My job is to teach them to make good choices, but if I continue to demand they choose the option I would, they won’t learn to make the choice themself. How can I unload my stress and overload if I am holding on to the decisions others make? Sometimes I think I like to torture myself… how insane.

photo by JGoode
photo by JGoode

The bottom line, no matter how hard we work nor how organized or prepared we are – there are always going to be situations bigger than we are. There are always going to be things out of our control. If we let go of the things we can’t dictate – leaving them behind, the rain might lighten up a bit. We will be able to see through the clouds to the things we’ve actually been able to give our best effort. Then we’ll move forward feeling more accomplished.