“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
~Maya Angelou
Sometimes my coaching clients come to their sessions to vent. They often move past the venting, eventually, but sometimes the entire session seems to be about them letting off steam.
Which is fine. We all need an outlet from time to time.
When they seem to stay with venting for more than one session, or when the same issue comes up repeatedly, Maya Angelou’s quote comes to mind. For that matter, when I find myself stuck on venting or when I’m challenged by the same situation (or person) repeatedly, the quote comes to mind.
Because those seem to be our only options. Or the only options besides staying frustrated and upset and venting.
It once again is about choice. Choosing what to change. I can choose to move out of a situation, to address an issue with a colleague, to interact differently in team meetings so that I potentially get different results. Or I can change the way I look at things or how I speak about things. I can do my best to find an upside in the situation, to accept my colleague the way they are and let it bother me less, to find what I can look forward to in team meetings.
Or, I suppose, I can stay frustrated and upset and venting.
We all get frustrated. There are things we don’t like. In ourselves, in the people around us, in situations, in the world. We can forget that we often have the power to change some of these things. Or to at least try.
But we always can change our attitude. It may be harder with some things and at some points than others, but we can.
And it’s generally better than changing nothing and only venting.
What changes have you made when faced with things you don’t like?
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If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.
For someone to vent to, and get support to make changes, contact Robyn at rmcleod@chatsworthconsulting.com.
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