Coaching Corner: Which file do you use?
By “Coach” Marilou Butcher Roth
It may appear, at first glance, that I am referring to some sort of filing tip. Nope — not today! Today we are going to look at what we can control in our lives, and what we can’t — this is no easy feat for some of us!
Here is our first order of business -- I want you to grab two files — you remember files don’t you? Those are the manila items that would hold our paper before everything went digital, and if you were really fancy, you had colored ones! So, anyway, get two of them and on one write “Things I Can Control” and on the other, write “Things I Cannot Control.” Good — now put those aside and let’s talk about what to do with them.
I am currently in Wichita, Kan. and although it is usually warm this time of year, it’s 45 degrees. This has been my situation wherever I have been for the past few months, where I continue to hear — “oh, it’s usually warmer, in fact it was 70 degrees just last week.” Seriously, have I done something to irritate the weather gods? It would appear so! Yes, of course, this is silly, however it definitely has the potential to put me in a cranky place. Now, let’s go back to our files. The weather situation would definitely go into the “Things I Cannot Control File.” However, how I choose to react is definitely controllable!
What about someone else’s bad attitude? Or when the grocery is out of your favorite honey? Again, these are items that we obviously have no control over. But sometimes that does not stop us from reacting in an negative manner.
Okay, you all know these things, so why the files? All of us may in fact know what we can control and what we can’t, and, that information alone does not ensure that we are able to let those items go and move on with our lives. Hence, the files! You now have something concrete that you can see and feel, and, if they are not with you, you at least have the mental image of them.
This week, as situations arise that may cause some angst for you, get out your files (or imagine them), and determine which file is appropriate for the situation at hand.
Happy filing!
