Resilient and Adaptable

I am going to apologize for the length of words and no pictures ahead of time. Also, this post is not quilting or sewing related, just life related, so move along if you want. I just needed to put my thoughts on paper, and I figured if I was going to write them down, I might as well post them for your entertainment. 🙂

So the company I work for has a Leadership Expectation of being Resilient and Adaptable, basically meaning, how well do you roll with the punches. In my employment and for as far back in my life as I can remember I have been really good at this. I\’m a fairly laid back person, I\’m a planner, but because I\’m a planner, I am usually prepared for most situations that are thrown at me and the exceptions that usually come along as well.

For instance, I just moved across the country with just three weeks notice. I had everything together, switched, closed out, paid, etc. My side of the execution of the move was solid. The only part that was subject to change, which I was willing to deal with, was the arrival of my stuff at my new place. Usually I would\’ve fine with a window, a few days to a couple weeks, cool. I get it. The only worry I had was that I was leaving for an international trip 9 days after I arrived so I NEEDED my stuff to get there before I left. If it didn\’t, I would either not be there to figure out where everything needed to go/receive my stuff, or it would have to be out in storage and then moved into my place when I got back. Not cool for any party involved. The moving company had a 5 day window of arrival, the last day being the day I left. They switched the arrival day and time 3 times, all within 24 hours of the expected arrival. Cool, different day and time, let me work it out and let\’s make it happen. And it did. My stuff got there the afternoon before I left and was unpacked and I will be able to come home to a mostly put together house. Was I pumped about all the changes, no, but did I stay calm and roll with the punches, yes. And it all worked out.

Situation B. I am managing a project in Belize and got down here yesterday to do some pre planning before the group got here. I want this project be go smoothly and for them to have a stress free and organized experience, and a lot of that is determined in how well I prep on the ground for them. I was supposed to have a car yesterday when I arrived but they didn\’t have one so I was lucky enough to catch a ride with a friend of a friend to the town I am working in. Cool, going with the flow. They said they would be able to deliver a car to my hotel the following morning so I could take care of all the errands I needed today. I knew it was probably going to be the afternoon, knowing Belizian time, so I got up early and took care of the close by errands and then came back to the hotel at 1 when the car guy said the car should arrive. Again I knew it wasn\’t going to be a timely arrival so I took care of some stuff on the computer that needed to get done. 3p no car. I call the guy back and he says 20 mins, almost there. Cool. I still need to meet with a partner so I will have time to do that and drive around and make dinner reservations as well. 6p no car. He says he is at the shop getting the car fixed and will call if anything changes. I already called and cancelled my meeting and have done everything I can possibly do within walking distance. I\’m assuming I will not get the car tonight, and not going to count on it tomorrow either.

And that\’s what sucks. I have been to Belize 5-6 times working different projects and have never done anything \”fun and touristy\” here. My plan was to get everything done today so that I could take the car and go cave tubing tomorrow. Now I don\’t have a car. I could still go, but it will be exponentially more expensive without my own transportation and now I won\’t be here to get the car if and when it arrives. I can roll with the punches but when I\’m already running low on reserves of resiliency and adaptability from the move, it is proving very challenging for me to continue to roll with the punches. Especially when it affects the time that I had specifically planned ahead for in order to have my own personal time. 🙂 I am trying to decide whether to go or not. I will most likely still go because I would be kicking myself if the car doesn\’t show up and I missed the opportunity to do something super fun and cool.

I pride myself in being Resilient and Adaptable. But damn. Give a girl a break. But hey, I need to shush it because I have an amazing opportunity to even work on this project, have this experience, and its all part of the experience. I guess it\’s my planner oriented self that gets frustrated when I make plans and then the plans were deemed worthless for reasons out of my control that bothers me. At the end of the day I am one lucky girl and by the end of this I will be able to pop back from anything that hits me, just like I always have. I just have a couple more things to take care of and I will find a way to take care of them through the phone or during the project. Plus, I probably didn\’t want that car in the first place since it was in the shop tonight.

Everything happens for a reason. That\’s my life motto. I need to make something that says or reflects this. You can learn from anything and every single experience you have shapes you into the person you have become and is one more experience to put in your toolbox for life to draw upon in the future. As for rolling with the punches, yes I\’m rolling with them, but sometimes I wish I could throw a few punches myself as well. 🙂 For now, I just had a great dinner and am now 3/4 the way through my per request STRONG strawberry margarita so I am chalking today up to the books. And I know that\’s not the end of the fun for this week so ill make sure to keep you updated throughout the week. 🙂

Thanks for sticking through that, and happy quilting, 😉

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