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Moving Right Along

It's Time to Focus on What's Really Important



I remember when I was working in public schools, and we’d get either a new principal or superintendent, and people would frantically try to find out more about the newcomer. Dire predictions were always made, and a whole lot of people freaked out at the idea of upcoming changes based on rumors and fears, most of which never came to pass. Want to know what didhappen? Whatever the circumstances, we survived, sometimes more pleasantly and easily than at other times, and when all was said and done, we were left standing, for the most part.

Know what this reminds me of? The current elections!


I bet most of you are as sick of the election stuff as I am, and you’re ready for it to be over with and finished, so we can deal with whatever the fallout is, and move on. We may differ in the outcomes we’re hoping for, but we’re all tired of the stress, the propaganda, and the foreboding, am I right? Just as I and the teachers I worked with survived new school or district leadership, we’ll survive new presidential leadership, too, regardless of who wins. Will some of us suffer or profit more than others? Yep, more than likely, but a lot of the aftermath will depend on us.


Hopefully, none of us will participate in any violence that might break out.Violence is never worth it or acceptable, and it never results in anything good. I’m not referring to that. What I’m calling for is a return to normalcy on a personal level. It’s time to take an active part and make a concerted effort to find our joy again and focus on it, rather than what’s going on around us.


Anything we can do regarding the election is very limited. We can vote. We can share opinions, plans, and fears with others who are like-minded and support each other, and maybe we can influence undecided people, but, really, after those things, what power do we have that has any real impact? Not much, at least as it pertains to the outcome of the elections. What we cando, however, is focus on ourselves and re-finding and maintaining our peace of mind.


We can also remind ourselves that disagreeing with the opposite side of the political fence does not mean they are our enemies, and that is exactly what all the election hoopla attempts to do. We may not agree with each other. We may not understand each other. It’s anyone’s race, according to polls and news sources, so it’s anyone’s guess who’s going to win, but regardless of the outcome, we do not have to hate each other.


Enough with the doomsday thoughts, too! Yeah, a lot of bad things can happen. Threats and promises of violence and retribution have been made, but there is no guarantee that they will come to pass. Let’s not borrow trouble. Furthermore, all kinds of dire consequences have been suggested and bandied about regarding a win for either candidate and what they will do or not do that will affect the country and people for generations. There are no guarantees in life, positive or negative, so let’s not believe or assume the worst.


Maybe these predictions will come to pass, and maybe not. No one can forecast the future with any certainty. Whatever happens will happen, and we’ll deal with it, but let’s not accept that the end of the country or the world is coming, depending on whether or not a person is elected President of the United States. Can bad things happen? Might they? Absolutely, they could and they might, but there is no guarantee they will, just as there is no guarantee that we will all live to see the sun rise tomorrow. Can we all just focus on overcoming and surviving, come what may?


Rather than focus on the possibility of dire consequences or the world coming to an end, let’s focus on ourselves and what we need in order to regain our peace of mind. Let’s focus on whatever brings us joy, and make sure we do more of it. I have a new grandson on the way, and you know what? When he gets here, my little Joshua, I’m going to rejoice, no matter who is elected President in November, and I will celebrate his birth with my son, daughter-in-law, his big brother, Georgie, and the rest of our family.

I’m buying a newer, smaller house and selling my bigger, older one. I’ve been wanting to downsize for over a decade, and I’m finally taking steps to do so. Assuming I survive the move (don’t ask me now, because it’s pretty intimidating if I think about it too much), I’m looking forward to moving into a brand new home and making it my own.


What will you celebrate in the coming months? What do you have to look forward to, regardless of who wins the election? Focus on that! If you don’t have anything in mind or on the horizon already, you need to think of something and work your way toward it. Whatever it is, make sure that it will happen regardless of who’s pronounced the winner of next month’s election.


Practice whatever has brought you joy in the past, or find something new to look forward to, and focus on that. Make and ensure your own joy. If your entire happiness revolves around the outcome of the election next month, it’s time to think beyond that and make sure you put something in place to add to or balance out your reaction to the outcome of the election.


It’s time to take control of our own joy and make sure it’s present. Find it. Maintain it. Hold onto it, and don’t let anyone or anything take it away from you. Let’s remind ourselves that people are people, despite their political affiliations and ideas, much less which political candidate they support, and we all have common hope for a better future.


What we need to keep in mind is that, whether or not our future is better or worse than our present has more to do with ourselves and our mindsets than it does with outside influences, whatever they are. We can choose to make the best of things and adapt, or we can choose to be miserable and resist whatever changes come to pass, but we must accept that change is inevitable, and it will come, regardless of who becomes President.


How many presidents have we seen come and go through our lifetimes?Most of us outlast them, and when they are replaced with someone else, most of us are still standing, regardless of whatever policies and changes they made. And when they are replaced, whether we approve of their replacement or not, we’re likely to still be standing when they leave office, too. We are a resilient people. We are strong. We overcome, and we persevere. That’s been the case throughout our history, and it will likely be the case in our future, so let’s release the panic, the fear, the angst, and pursue joy instead. What would bring you joy? Now, go get it!

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