We All Want Control

I'll admit it, I have control issues.  I kinda like it when things go a certain way...mine.  I think if we were all being honest with each other, we would say the same thing. 

When does CONTROL become a bad thing?  When we can't see the other person's perspective.  When we can't imagine life any other way, but how we laid it out.  When we find ourselves forcing others to do what we want them to do. 

BUT, what if the idea of control changes?  If someone colors outside of the lines, we used to label them as non-compliant, now maybe we want to know why they did what they did and understand them more.  If someone wants to do something differently than how you want them to do it, maybe we think about it and engage them in the solution.  If forcing the existing model doesn't work, collaboratively, we come up with one that does. 

Has the power shifted?  Has the relationship changed; for the better or the worse?  Have we lost and if so, what?  Have we gained and if so, what?  Does control simply mean something different than it used to?  We all want control, but are we okay knowing that it changes, moves and adapt and are we doing all those in step?

From a control freak to anyone out there reading this, I ask you to ask yourself, what are you controlling and what is controlling you?  Keep going....simply, keep going. 

Wisdom From a Nine Year Old

During our weekly house cleaning on Saturday morning, the three kids were bickering about who had to do what.  My youngest daughter, 9 years old but wise beyond her years, looked at her older brother and said, "No one gets anywhere in life by just sitting around, so get up and do something!" 


It was then that I thought, "Now there is a girl who gets it!"  She knows that for years to come, she is going to have to work for things she wants.  Today it might be a sleepover at a friends, but tomorrow it might be that dream job. 

I hear about kids who don't have chores, who don't know what hard work is all about, who have the world handed to them and I think, "Someone might have to hire them someday or worse yet, marry them!" 

Trust, there are times I am telling to my kids to "get up and do something" because they are kids.  There are times that her brother is telling her to get to work!  There are times they are telling me to get to work....that's human nature, but we all know what hard work is and when the work is done, we feel great about it.  So, while working hard as a wife, mother, employee and volunteer, I'll keep going.  

Problem Solving

Last week I saw a picture on Facebook of a man and his grown son working hard on an outside project.  (I am proud to say have known both of these men since I was little and physical labor is nothing new to them!)  They were moving a piece of a wall with old fashioned ingenuity and strength.  I can tell you that neither of them went to Pinterest, Google or YouTube to figure out how to do it.  They looked at the goods and materials they had at their disposal and figured it out.  Sure, they may have been more creative ways to do this, but they got the job done. 

How many times do you try to figure something out and instead of looking around, you look down?  You look at an app, a video or board with suggestions on how to fix the problem.  Trust me, I think finding new ways to do things is fun and exciting, but let’s not forget that thinking and ingenuity have solved problems or created solutions for years. 

My call to action this week, next time you need to solve a problem, take a few minutes and just think about it like the men I referenced above did.  The greatest thinkers of our time created remarkable tools and solutions on their own and I believe most of you can do exactly the same thing!  In pondering the next best thing, I keep going!