Friday, August 5, 2011

Onward and Upward




 "After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb." ~~~Nelson Mandela
 

So it's been quite a summer so far...full of changes, periods of transition, and uncertainty. 
I often find that during times like these, just when I start to feel like I have reached a point where I can rest and catch my breath, that's when I'm faced with another challenging situation.I've had enough experience to know that change is not a bad thing, but it is usually stressful. Change is one of those things that, by it's very nature, is designed to keep me on my toes.
It's frustrating to be presented with something that I thought had been dealt with, particularly when the situation is painful; I would much rather deal with it once, rather than having to revisit it at a later date.
One of those areas is what some may call "character defects"...those quirky, pesky little ways of reacting to a situation in a less than optimal way. 
For example, one of mine is taking things personally...things that, in reality, don't have anything to do with me. While I have gotten MUCH better in this area, every once in awhile, this little monster comes back unexpectedly to bite me...today was one of those days.
Several years ago, I would have used a situation like the one I found myself in today to berate myself; today I know that it was a crappy day and tomorrow will be better. I don't have to feel like a victim and instead, I can instead focus on all the things I have to be grateful for. Tomorrow is another day and I have another chance to do things differently. For now, I can remind myself that, fundamentally, all is well.

I think that this might be one of those lessons that will be revisited from time to time for many years to come...

just.keep.going!