I have known 5 people who passed from this life and into the next over the past few months. It’s humbling. We always think we have more time here on planet Earth. I am learning how to let go of the negative people in my life and not to sweat the small stuff. It hasn’t been easy. It’s not a natural thing either, that’s for sure.
I had a disagreement with my boss this past week. I feel what she did was wrong. She doesn’t think so. I haven’t pursued it. I bit my tongue and didn’t say anything. But it affected me. I woke up at 4 AM four times is past week after having dreams I was fighting with her. It’s exhausting. At this point, it really doesn’t matter who was right and who wasn’t. It’s not a contest. I guess there will always be times that workers and management do not see eye to eye.
Then I had to ask myself:
“How important is it Diana?”
“Will it really matter a year from now?” No.
“Does her option of me define me?” No.
“Does she want to help me succeed?” No.
“Do I have to let her opinion affect me?” No.
I read this great story on a blog that helped me put it in perspective. It was a Buddha story, so don’t get all freaked out ok?
Buddha was well known for his ability to respond to evil with good. There was a man who knew about his reputation and he traveled miles and miles and miles to test Buddha. When he arrived and stood before Buddha, he verbally abused him constantly; he insulted him; he challenged him; he did everything he could to offend Buddha.
Buddha was unmoved, he simply turned to the man and said, “May I ask you a question?”
The man responded with, “Well, what?”
Buddha said, “If someone offers you a gift and you decline to accept it, to whom then does it belong?”
The man said, “Then it belongs to the person who offered it.”
Buddha smiled, “That is correct. So if I decline to accept your abuse, does it not then still belong to you?”
The man was speechless and walked away.
How I am Learning to not Sweat the Small Stuff:
- I don’t have to attend every argument I am invited to.
- I don’t have to let the negativity of others in.
- I can agree to disagree.
- It’s a job, not who I am.
- I don’t have to prove myself to everyone. I can just be me.
- I can accept that not everyone will agree with me or even like me, that’s ok. We are each entitled to our own thoughts and opinions. Life would be boring if we were all the same.
- God knows and God sees. He knows the truth. I can be free from the opinion of others. I can choose to trust Him to deal with the ‘sandpaper people in my life.
- We all reap what we sow. I’m gonna plant my own seeds and take care of my own garden. I want good fruit, fruit that will last. I’ll plant kindness and peace, and hope.
- God will repay her for her false accusations. I don’t have to.
- I’ll pray for her. God says to pray for those who persecute you. Do I want to? No. But I know the only way I will be free of this is if I let go of it and let God take care of it. I trust God. He is faithful. He is true.
- I’m going to refocus on the things I am grateful for, not the things I am not. If you have ever used a magnifying glass you know it magnifies what you look at. I am going to magnify the good things, not the bad.
(all images from Pinterest)