My So-Called "Disasters"

A friend of mine recently sent me a list of tips...all really good ones.  But one jumped off the page (or computer screen) because it truly spoke to me as one that I really should try to incorporate into my everyday life.

"Frame every so-called "disaster" with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?"  That's a good one, isn't it?

You see, I'm a worrier.  I fret over many things, imagining worse-case scenarios all the time.  I thought once the kids were raised, it'd get better, but it hasn't.  I've just found new ways to worry about them....and their spouses...and their kids.

I'm also a "do-er" and it's hard to avoid "disasters" if you're one of those.  Countless home projects that I screwed up, convinced I'd be "in the doghouse" for, turned out fine.  Events I've worked on in my past careers would have me laying awake at night.  One potential disaster, in particular, was sending a letter to a gentleman, telling him of an honor he was to receive...only to find out that there were two identical names in the database, and I sent the letter to the wrong guy!  Disastrous mistake that turned out to be funny, because the mistaken fella didn't even qualify for that honor -and he knew it!  Crisis averted, but it took its toll on me for two days!

Even my Facebook usage has been fraught with potential disasters that never happened, but I sweated about for days.  Case in point...some may wonder why I don't "share" posts or pictures under the name of the one who originally posted it.  Well, in my early days of Facebook, when I was still learning how it all worked,  I thought I was "Marysue Wright", and I posted a risqué cartoon.  Turns out I posted it under the Facebook page that I manage for my employer!   Good lord!  Worried about it all night before I found out how to delete it. Whew, spared from getting fired !  (And from now on, I'll continue to "copy and post" instead of "share", just in case...)

I could go on and on about other "disasters" that I envisioned - I don't want to give up TOO much.  But looking back, it turns out, many of my potential disasters turned out to be some of my finest hours... And if they were so awful, who would care, in five years?  I'm still going to try to "frame every disaster with "in five years, will this matter"?  Who knows?  That little gem could add years to my life!