I am the type of person that thinks everything is a big deal.
When my schedule gets very full and schoolwork piles up, I tend to get thrown over the edge and not know how to deal with such a full plate. Instead of portioning what I have been served, I tend to think I need to eat everything as fast as I can. I think everything needs to get done right this second, everything is of highest priority, and everything is a big deal. In reality, there are very few things in life that are really big deals and need to get done right this second. Therefore, I am trying to adapt to the mindset of asking myself "Does this have to be done right now?" "Will this matter in a month?" "Is this really a big deal?"
When I ask myself these questions, and I am faced with these situations many times each day, I take a step back from my life to take a look at the situation. Most of the time, the answers to the questions are all "no." I am now learning to let those "no's" go; to let the small stuff be small and the big things be big, and to learn the difference between the two.
This past week, I have had situations where I have had to go to appointments, pick up kids off the bus, not make it to other appointments, engage with people, teach people, learn from people, and be there for people. All of these situations have been wonderful opportunities to practice knowing the worth of a situation, and I think I’m finally understanding it.
I have learned that everything is not a big deal, and if I can't make it to something, I apologize and move on instead of worry about someone being upset with me. If I have to be there to get the kids off the bus, this family is counting on me to be there and nothing else at that time matters or can replace that priority. I learned that sometimes you have to go out of your way to make yourself better so you can be better for other people, and it is worth it.
Find the worth of situations before you over react to them.
If something is small, let it be small.
If something is a big deal, make it a big deal.
This is all part of growing up. Let's face it, giving the same high- energy, high- priority reactions to everything is exhausting. Sometimes we don't realize how much pressure we put on ourselves until we get a second to reflect on the source of our exhaustion.
Enjoy the little things for being little.
We are all very different, and the sizes of situations are different to each of us, but we can't exhaust ourselves with plates full of big deals. We have to learn to balance life and how we respond to its hiccups. We have to save some energy and patience for the day a big, urgent deal comes along and we have to find the strength to do it. We can't waste all our energy and emotions on unnecessary worries.
I'm realizing life is short, and hoping that I can learn to invest myself according to Gods plan for my life. I'm growing up, and I'm ready to respond to his plan with grace knowing that I cannot control what happens to me, but I can control how I react to it.
