There have been moments in life where we aren’t where we want to be, think we should be in some other spot and it would be easy to throw our hands up and say I’m done, too bad, get mad, frustrated etc.
All normal or natural responses and some of it could be attributed to negative circumstances, fear of failure, unmet expectations, relational strife of many kinds, weariness, oppositions of many kinds, and more often than not, there is a feeling of hopelessness sometimes is overwhelming.
But If We’re Not Where We Want To Be, We Could: Learn Something While We’re There..
So I’m working this summer at a summer job I’ve done before with some employees who, at times feel like there is little or no thanks for the job and effort that they push out day in and day out.
I’ll be a liar to say that there is a lot to learn for the type of work that it is but a few weeks ago, I decided that even though I may not ever be there again after this summer, is there anything new I could put to good use?
Strangely enough, there were 3 moments where I learned something valuable that has helped me in areas completely unrelated to this type of work.
It was funny when my wife said, “Where did you learn how to do that?” Had a smile on my face when I said I had some skills she didn’t know about……
Some would say that a key to getting through the doldrums of being in a place that we may not want to be is to decide to grow a little in that place.
Almost like the seed in the ground that may not be seen because the earth is covering that seed but it’s growing nonetheless. We can do that as well; not always easy to do when the emotions roll in but it can be done for our benefit.
Like the seed in the ground that may not be seen because it's in the earth, it's still growing and we can do that as well.
But If We’re Not Where We Want To Be, We Could: Be Thankful, Grateful
There have been moments in the past and present where I’ve had jobs for a brief time or a little bit longer where the last place I thought I wanted to be was there. Yet, in many of those moments of frustration, there would be a moment where I realized that I did have something to be grateful for.
This past week, I am thankful for the ability to put food on the table, pay bills, be able to move enough so the dreams that I have in my heart for the future still have the potential to be realized.
I remembered a job in a restaurant I had that helped buy a car but little did I know that it would help me in future jobs and positions because of the skills acquired ]there.
Even though it’s hot, messy, not always convenient in the present, I am able to do some things to earn a living that others could only dream of. Those who have lived and those who are living.
Dad would always say when as kids, we would be griping about what we didn’t have or what we wanted, that there were people who had no feet; be happy because not only do you have feet, you have shoes to put on those feet.
Dad would always say when as kids, we would be griping about what we didn’t have or what we wanted, that there were people who had no feet; be happy because not only do you have feet, you have shoes to put on those feet.
Be happy because not only do you have feet, you have shoes to put on those feet.
Those wake-up call conversations really left an impression on me.
When we are inward looking to the point of feeling despair about where we find ourselves, sometimes, we forget that there are blessings around us every day.
Maybe without even knowing that what we have presently in our hands is something to be grateful and thankful for. It’s not the end but it certainly isn’t the beginning either.
But If We’re Not Where We Want To Be, It Could Be: Shaping Us For Our Future
Sometimes, the hardest lesson to learn in a place where we may not want to be is the lesson of humility in being shaped for our future.
I’ve been in a few places where I didn’t feel I wanted to be at or deserved to be there and should have been somewhere else; the one that sticks out the most was the most profound.
I had been working at a department store for a number of years while in college and university and one night, I had a rough stretch.
I had applied for 3 supervisor positions over a period of 2 years and was refused and those refusals did sting.
The last department that I applied for was the department I was presently in; confections which is a upscale name for candies and chocolate and a lot of it.
Why am I here? Why am I doing this? I could be doing so much better, it’s not fair and it was a lot of griping and frustration
One Thursday night as I was filling the coke case, I got frustrated; why am I here? Why am I doing this? I could be doing so much better, it’s not fair and it was a lot of griping and frustration that had built up for a long time that was coming out.
Just as sure as I am writing this, a very strong thought progression came to my mind and spirit.
The thoughts were, this is just not a coke case; this a place where people come to get a drink but they interact with you when you’re here. Maybe someone is going to need what you have and if you’re sour about this place, who’d want what you have?
Doing your job well that makes your department look great; your personal interaction with other staff to encourage them as they live their day to day lives.
And maybe the one that hit me the most was, was there anything beneath me that I wouldn’t do because I felt it was above it….
Was there anything beneath me that I wouldn’t do because I felt it was above it….
That experience really changed my perspective.
I was there for another 18 months before I left and the opportunities to talk with people, worked on my skills with interacting with people, learning new ideas in the commercial field all have helped me moving forward.
The biggest change was in my attitude because once that changed, my outlook brightened.
So, there’s a lot we can do when we are not in the place we feel we should be in. Most importantly, our attitude determines much and it becomes much easier to learn something, be grateful/thankful and understand that if we look at life right, we can shaped for the future that is in front of us.
In the meantime, let’s work at living life well where we are now. It’s of great benefit to us and everyone around us…..
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