Phrases

Some people are good at reciting a quote that sums up a situation. We all know those people that will say, "my mom always said" or "like my dad would say". Others, like me, have basically nothing. I do have a few favorites sayings, and then there are others that would never cross my lips. I put some thought into sayings, and this is what I came up with.  

Let's start with "It's not my job". Throughout my entire career, if there was a spill, I cleaned it up. If there were paper towels all over, I picked them up. As I neared retirement, I sadly started to get comments like, "why are you doing that, it's not your job". Since when did being a good helpful human being, not become my job? What is wrong with helping others? Many people that clean at the Hospital are immigrants. Although, they may be professors, teachers, nurses, doctors, whatever in their own country, they are willing to clean in Canada. They needed a job, and no job was beneath them. They never complain, and they certainly wouldn't say anything about having to pick up after others. I feel bad for anyone whose job is to clean up other people's messes, no one should have to do that. When I took students to a new ward, we went around and introduced ourselves to everyone that worked on the floor, that included the cleaning staff. The response was incredible. They were very much part of the team, and I wanted the students to understand their importance. 

If you want to make me gasp and start my mind whirling, just say, "There is nothing you can do about it". In my mind, that is simply not true. There is always something you can do. It may not be the result I anticipated, but I feel I need to make an effort to find another solution.  

I love change. To me change breathes life into a situation. Change doesn't happen immediately, and it will take time to work and to see improvement. I love it when people give change a chance. There are always people that don't like change and they will say, "that's the way it has always been done".  

How about, "I'm done, I quit". I feel people that use that line often use it as a knee jerk response. They are angry or frustrated and that seems like a good solution at the time. When people quit because they are losing, and they won't even try is upsetting to me. You have to give it your all, no matter what you are doing. For sure, my all and someone else's is different. But, to complete a job is what needs to be done. Even in a competition when you are losing, cross the finish line. Make it your personal best, quitting is not an option.

Even though I live with rose-colored glasses; I am also a realist. There are times when I have had to say, "I tried my hardest and nothing worked". Those are the moments that I quit. I think as humans we all have an end point in what we can do. As much as it pains me, on the rare occasion, I call it quits.

"Anything is possible". No truer words are ever spoken in my mind. The issue is the work involved in making it happen. It seems that nothing good in life comes easily. Believing is achieving, and always believe it is possible.   

Then there is, "what is done is done". I strongly believe in closure and this line works for me. There are times when there is no turning back and you realize you need to be done with the situation.  

A new phrase I have adapted is, "the windshield is bigger than the review mirror". Letting go of things can be the hardest thing to do. Living in an unhealthy past makes it difficult to look through the windshield.  I think it is about the expectations that we had that didn't get met. We are hurt, and that feeling keeps drawing us back to the past. Going forward looking through the windshield is a very healthy thing to do.  

                                                  

"It is, what it is". I overuse this line. To me it simply means, well that is the way it is. It is a fact-based comment. When I think of this phrase, I think of making sense of a situation and going with it or dealing with it.  

In closing, if I have struggles and nothing can be resolved this is the phrase that I use to calm myself and get centered. Those few lines are the guiding force for the people that follow a 12-step program. Sometimes there is nothing more that we can do but to say these profound words, truly understand them, and move forward in life.