Taking Back Our Peace

A key for me to taking control of my life, is to be clear about how much is beyond my control.

Last night was a classic recipe for worry. Found myself awoken around 5 a.m. to a replay of events from work the previous day. There are some pending items which I thought I was empowered to act upon, that I thought were within my authority. But I've realized that this is not the case. It could result in some apologies from me due to promises that I'd made under my previous illusion. As a result, unless God's plans change, I could be en route to a difficult conversation with a co-worker.

So little can be accomplished in the middle of the night! In the short run, I just walked through the remedies I've accumulated over time to combat the "sticky worry" that won't leave the mind. I pictured an upcoming fun event. I recalled some highlights from our basketball team. Counted blessings about being married to Dena. Unfortunately on this night my brain kept bouncing back to the silly work issue, so I brought out the nuclear weaponry - got NetFlix on my laptop, cued up Saturday Night Live episodes, ran an earplug to my ear on low volume, and turned off the monitor. Streamed external thoughts easily snuff out idle random ones. Comedy has been a fantastic sleep aid through the years (note: action movies do the opposite).

Now in the light of day, with the office just over the horizon, it's time to take stock of what remains in my control:

1. My philosophy. I can explain my position to those who may pressure me to change. I can be open-minded, but not a pushover.

2. My attitude. I can keep a smile on my face. I can accept those things beyond my control. I can have faith that ultimately God has good things in store, beyond the squalls in between.

3. My priorities. Focusing on knocking out small tasks first thing in the day sets positive momentum and a solid foundation for a successful day.

I suppose it's just a modern adaptation of the old saying:

"Lord, grant me the courage to change the things I can change,
The serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
And the wisdom to know the difference."