The Truth in the Stories

So, I’ve been walking around all week with a BIG misconception. Even though I spent the week trying to keep my head above water, sorting through some ridiculous (never-before-in-20-years kind of situations), and struggling in all sorts of ways ---- sound familiar? --- I was absolutely positive that it could not possibly be a full moon because we just had one.

Well, guess what? It is definitely a full moon! Go figure!

I’m telling you this as today for a couple of reasons.

First, there is a reason things are going absolutely crazy this week, and it is the full moon. Be gentle with yourselves and your people!

Second, there is a lesson in the whole “full moon” thing. It is more than just a story ... an "old wives tale". People who don’t work in healthcare or schools or with people at all might not believe the “full moon phenomenon” but it is true! (At least from my perspective over the years).

It is also something that is 100% out of our control. We may control a lot of things, but in no world do we control the cycle of the moon. We can’t change the date to a “better week,” we can’t change the behaviors of other people, and we certainly can’t “cancel” the full moon. Like so many other things in life – professional and personal – we CANNOT change or control it, AND we CAN control our own attitudes, behaviors and reactions to whatever the full moon may bring.

There are so many things in your life that you have no control over … even though you are “supposed” to be the person in total control … even though you probably think you should be in total control. Things happen, friends. A team member who you thought would be with you for the next 10 years or more has a terrible accident and dies … your entire team out because of covid or Influenza A or RSV on the same day … the internet goes down (again!) … someone leaves the sink running and it isn’t discovered until it is leaking through the ceiling on your copier on the floor below. Things happen … you can’t control everything … what you can control is your reaction to what happens.

I don’t know if you’ve had the same type of “out of control” week as I have had, but given the full moon situation, I would imagine more of you than not would say yes to that. How have you reacted? Have you been the calm in the middle of the storm? Have you been the voice of reason when the unreasonable rears it’s ugly head? Or have you gotten caught up in the chaos at least a time or two (that’s our natural reaction, after all).

I encourage you to think about how you react to the uncontrollable that comes our way from time to time … and how you might be better prepared to react differently next time. Because no matter how good you are, no matter how wonderful your team is, no matter how organized or on task or successful you and your team are, there will be a next time, I promise.

Let’s just hope we get a little break from the chaos and all of the next times don’t come right away this week!