Recently I wrote a post about how we were meant to change. We are not meant to stay the way we are, but are constantly evolving, hopefully for the better as we have experiences and figure things out.
As I work with people who want to make changes, they usually want a huge change and they want it fast.
I am reminded that the small changes are what matters. We get to big changes through small adjustments.
My son is a pilot and he tells me that being just one degree off, and not adjusted, will take you off course so you may not even be landing on the correct continent.
In fact, when you fly, you may be off course as much as 90 percent of the time. This is due to air pressure, turbulence, and lots of factors.
What gets you back on course are tiny adjustments.
Pilots check in and make these course adjustments all along the way, without us realizing so we end up where we want to be.
We need to do the same in our lives.
When we mess up and yell at our kids.
When we take out our bad day on our spouse.
When we don’t follow through on what we said we would do.
These need course corrections.
Sometimes it is as easy as saying, “I’m sorry, can I have a do-over?”
It could be as easy as training yourself to take 3 big deep breaths when you feel like you want to scream so you can plan how to handle the situation.
It might be asking questions to verify and clarify
You might consciously look for good things to compliment your family members on.
Don’t try to take on too much at once.
Pick one small thing.
Work on it.
When you get that down, pick another to work on.
Before you realize it, you will find yourself right on course for a smooth landing.
Dr. Paul