In my role as a counselor, I’ve learned a lot about the different ways that people cope with change and handle challenges in life. I’ve come to believe that folks respond in one of three basic ways when life throws a curveball their way.
First, there are those that stand on the sidelines of life, wringing their hands. They’re hoping that someone – anyone but them -- will jump in and take the lead on coping with the problem. The hand-wringers in the world are either convinced they don’t have what it takes to tackle a challenge or else would rather someone else do the heavy lifting.
Then there are those that are hanging out in the outfield, just twiddling their thumbs, not even aware that a major challenge is headed their way. While they may not be impeding progress, they’re doing nothing to move the process along.
Lastly, there are those that are ready to roll up their sleeves and get down to business. They may not have all the answers, but they’re willing to pitch in and do what they can to move things forward. They radiate competence and make others feel that they’ve got everything under control.
So, in essence, the world is made up of people who just wring their hands, twiddle their thumbs, or roll up their sleeves and get to work.
There’s an old saying that the only thing constant is change. With the number of changes that the world seems to be offering up lately, I sure hope that the folks who are ready to roll up their sleeves outnumber the ones who won’t.
I’m Suzanne Degges-White, and that’s my perspective.
