“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”

-Serenity Prayer

Held hostage by one of those days, weeks, or seasons in your life? 

You know the kind where issue after issue challenge after challenge keeps flowing into your life like a huge waterfall and the old cliché “When it rains it pours” makes more sense than you would like it to?

For the last two weeks  I have had one technical challenge after another in my daily work life. It began with my website. Soon after the website issue all emails I sent out bounced back with a message saying “undeliverable, try later”. Then early last Monday morning I was sitting at my computer  when the lawn service arrived, cut a cable with their edger, and killed my internet, TV, and phone service for 2 days.

As I sat at my computer with no internet and no way to communicate with the outside world, my mind starting focusing on all the negative events over the last 4 months.  I whispered under my breath in a defeated tone, “I am so tired of the challenges in life right now.” What about you?  Ever have one of those days, weeks, or life seasons?

July is here and the first half of 2020  is over. Do you want to finish strong in 2020?

It would have been easy to stay stuck in my negative mood of blaming my website host company and the lawn service, but this would not have helped me move forward.

After dragging myself out of the pity party that could have lasted all day Monday and into the next, I began thinking about all the things that happened recently and asked myself, “ Of these events, what do I have control over”? Most I did not, but I did have control over contacting the appropriate people to help fix the problems and I had control over creating an alternative place to work where internet would be available.

One factor I have learned about control is when focus is placed on what I do not have control over, anger, resentment, and fear are all likely possibilities.  However, when I place focus on what I do have control over, I am more likely to adopt an open attitude allowing acceptance to discover possibilities and alternative (plan B) options.

What’s going on in your life that you have no control over?

In relationships: Are behaviors or reactions of others leaving you feeling angry, frustrated and exhausted?  Do you often find yourself in conflict rather that productive conversations?

In the world: Does the threat of watching the news and rising numbers of those testing positive for Covid 19 or another violent act being committed leave you feeling like your world is never going get better?

In your environment: Do you live your life following your own beliefs or do other people’s opinions and actions leave you discouraged beyond words?

Ways to respond to create positive outcomes!

Allow the choices and actions of others to be their own. These do not belong to you.

Take responsibility for what is yours (what you have control over) allowing others to take responsibility for what is theirs (what you do not have control over)?

Accept what is and create plan B options.  A note about acceptance:  Accepting the “what is” does not mean you agree with, but instead allows you to let go to create new options.

Don’t spend time out of your day thinking of ways to change other people?  Remember: You can only change you and your response to your situations. Instead, ask yourself, “what do I need today to cultivate joy and help make me a better person”? You may be surprised at how others change once you change your attitude and stop trying to change them.

We are all different and have our own beliefs, values, political preferences, and what we want in life. Accepting that we are all different is a huge action step to setting yourself free to live your best life.

Take every precaution you can to remain healthy and commit to living each day grateful for what you do have as you allow others to make their own decisions and experience their own consequences of these decisions?

Let go of thoughts that steal your joy and do not move you closer to where you want to be.

The truth is, when we continually try to fix, focus on, and worry about what is out of our control, the result will never be one that allows us the freedom to live a life that God has planned for us or a life of serenity.

Living your best life requires you to make changes in your own life and attitude to become the best version of you. Living your best life means changing what you can change and letting go of what you cannot.

Need someone to talk to about finishing strong in 2020?  I would love to have a conversation with you!

Remember….Your life matters!

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