I would not describe myself as a religious person, but I would say that I am spiritual. For decades I have, in intervals, observed actions implemented by folks that were seemingly overtly righteous and selfish at the time, and the ultimate chain reactions to those actions, over time, played out in a way that was always beneficial to the initial victim(s). Not that I am advocating for being victimized in order to achieve one’s ultimate goals…I am just saying that there have been times that I have experienced or I have been witness to my colleagues experiencing a rough patch because of another person’s or many person’s narcissistic and unrealistic need to fix something that was not broken in order to achieve their own personal gain.
My twin brother stated in a comment the other day, “The problem with karma is that it doesn’t happen quickly enough!” I have to agree with him on that one! In this world of instant gratification, I have to say, the time it takes for karma to set in, is time that I have been forced to mull things over, check in with people I trust and get their viewpoint on the situation and to learn, really learn from the experience.
Recently, I lived through a rough patch with one of the projects that I cared deeply about. I quickly recognized that I had very little control over what could have been a devastating outcome for many, so I politely, strategically and professionally bowed out. I am not one to stay at a party when I suddenly find out I was never really invited in the first place.
A few months have gone by and amazing things have happened! Through the experience, I really learned who my friends are, I learned who cares, I learned more about who and why I deeply care about assisting others. The very temporary lull in my work schedule opened up opportunities for two new amazing projects…both that will pay out double what the other did! (Even though the rates for the project were not even discussed until after I agreed to take on the projects), they are both global in nature and I will release info about them in future blogs after all the paperwork is completed.
My message today is simple; always listen to that internal voice, that spiritual barometer that all of us must learn to trust. Know that you can not change people’s negativity and incompetencies, you can not make everyone happy, and it’s ok to say goodbye to a project that is just not a good fit. If your heart is in the right place, many, many opportunities will become present for you and you might just unearth some deep friendships and memories in the process.
Let me know if you have lived through a similar process and how you handled it!