Nothing Stays The Same

This one seems like it should be a "no brainer". Everyone knows that. Duh!

But sometimes when I'm in a rut or in a situation that I can't seem to get out of - it feels like I'm going to be stuck there forever.

I remember sitting in a conference dealing with a conflict between a trainee and a volunteer. I knew that the trainee would be moving on to another location in a couple of months, but the volunteer didn't know that. The volunteer thought she would be working with this person "forever" and the stress of their personality conflict was making her ill. She was ready to quit, even though she needed the "job" for the socialization and to help her feel needed and useful.

Some of the things I said during the conference were "hang in there" "things change" "nothing lasts forever" (easy to say to someone else). We worked on trying to resolve the issue and taking one day at a time. A few weeks later, the trainee moved on. In the meantime, the volunteer had hung in there. She later confided in me that she really took what I said about change and the situation had been much easier for her to deal with = knowing that it wasn't forever.

Some things we would like to last forever - but of course - something always happens to disrupt or change the situation. I have tried to internalize this philosophy and therefore not get upset when things = especially things that are out of my control - change. I know that it won't last forever. However, sometimes it is just too difficult to wait for the change - and I try make a move/change first.

Once I accepted that change is a natural part of life and to remind myself to remain flexible and open to the changes that take place - it is much less stressful to deal with things that pop-up. I try to let go and not control every situation so much.

I try to analyze whether it is something I have control over or not. If I do have control over it, I make adjustments as much as possible. If I don't have control over it, I try to accept it, and "go with the flow" and then maybe later change the parts that I do have control over.

One thing I know that I always have control over is my attitute and how I react to situations. Hopefully in a much more calm, accepting manner than I would have in the past.

One of my favorite songs is "Dust in the Wind". One of the phrases in it is "nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky"...