Thursday, February 2, 2012

Finding Positive In All of Life's Lessons

I'm having one of those moments where I scratch my head and say, "It's already been 7 days?"  Wow. 
Where'd time go?

But the last seven days have been filled with a kind of storm that I never really envisioned before.  I've had to make a lot of really big decisions in a quick time.  There were plenty of moments where I didn't want to make those decisions alone.  I've wanted to fall into a heap and cry.  I considered calling my mom and plead with her that, "I quit, I'm not being a grown up, you make the decision, YOU'RE the MOMMY!!"  But, at 30-something years of age and three kids of my own, I don't suppose I could get away with that.

Now that I'm crawling my way out on to the other side of those decisions, I feel like I can now see the positivity from the experience.  We must weather a storm in order to become stronger.  As wild of a storm as it was, I've gained tools through weathering it that I wouldn't have had without the experience. 

Here's what I've learned:
-When you have to make a tough decision about something, ask for help.  Ask for opinions.  It was a random phone call to a former colleague that made the light bulbs click for me. 

-Don't fall to a heap and cry, leaving the mess for someone else to clean up.  But crying is a perfectly acceptable coping mechanism to use.

-Parenting really, and truly is, like cutting your heart out and wearing it on your sleeve for anyone to see and attack.

-Moms know best.

I think the bottom line is that no matter what you're going through, look at it as a life lesson.  It sucks to be in the middle of one.  It's hard.  But when you've gotten to the other side, you're better for it.  I know that I am a hundred times wiser today than I was a week ago.