Change is Inevitable: Attitude is Everything – Part I

One thing that I’ve learned as a leader is that change is inevitable, and I need to adapt quickly whenever it happens.  I no longer have the luxury of time to grouse about that change; I simply need to act.  As I learn more about myself and my leadership style, I see that I, too, am changing and growing a bit as things around me continue to move and morph.

A couple of days ago as I prepared for work, I looked out of the second floor window as I do every morning,  and I noticed a beautiful blanket of pristine snow — not too much, but enough to make me realize that I needed to clean off my car and reconfigure my morning routine. That was the first adjustment of my day. After clearing off both my car and my husband’s (I’m just cool like that.), I noticed a few slick spots. If there were slick spots in my area, there might be others along my route to work.  Again, I had to factor in a slower commute, so I borrowed a little time from my morning coffee routine. That hurt, but I still managed to get all of my prayer and bible study time in, so I was spiritually prepared for any other changes that might occur.

After all of that, I was rewarded handsomely with a two-hour delay.  For those who don’t work in education or the federal government, that means that you’re expected to report to work two hours later than usual. It was serendipitous actually because I didn’t notice the delay until I had already done everything on my to-do list except actually getting dressed for work. What did that mean for me? Well, I had that second cup of coffee, walked my Golden so my husband wouldn’t have to do it, and I surfed the web a little before heading out.

The best part of all this is realizing that my whole attitude has changed.  A few years ago, all of this upheaval so early in the morning would’ve had me frazzled. Though on the outside, I may have appeared unflappable, that wouldn’t have been the case in my mind. Today, very little can jolt me. I don’t worry about my job, finances, others’ perception of me, or anything that is beyond my control. My job is just that — a means to earn money to take care of my family. My finances are adequate and fueled by the revenue I take home as well as how I manage it. Others’ comments about me — whether negative or untrue, are not my business. All I need to be concerned with are things that are in my purview.

Philippians 4:6 reminds me not to worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.

There’s comfort in knowing that God cares for us. There’s joy in knowing that only he has the power to appoint and promote. There’s  excitement in my heart for those who are learning these truths daily as they draw closer to the one who has the whole world in his hands.

Before I learned my purpose, I was constantly worried about frivolous things like what to wear, what people thought of me, or why I didn’t get a job that I was qualified for. Hindsight being what it is, I know better now.  What others thought of me wasn’t my business. Figuring out what to wear was the least of my concerns. That job wasn’t meant for me; God’s plan to prepare me did not require that I get that job. What a wonderful change!  I attribute it all to my creator.

The revelation of my attitude adjustment doesn’t mean that I have somehow perfected how I react to change.  All it simply means it that I’ve grown in that regard, and I hope to continually refine my attitude. My life experiences have afforded me the opportunity to forgive as well and find the lesson in truly forgiving. Check out part two of this series tomorrow entitled “Change is Inevitable: Forgive & Remember.”