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Life’s Three Choices: Change it, Accept it, or Leave by Tim Connor As we move through life, each of us is faced with a variety of situations, circumstances, challenges, and relation- ships which test our patience, resolve, commitment, and acceptance. In each of these situations, we always have three options, choices, or actions we can take when we feel something isn't right or working. We can attempt to change the person or circumstance, we can accept it, or we can leave it and move on. You can attempt to change it. Life is filled with people, events, and situa- tions requiring us to modify our values, beliefs, and attitudes; or challenge our philosophy - whether it is in our career or personal relationships. During these times, whether we have difficulty with a corporate policy, a spouse's behavior, or a customer's attitudes, we can try to influence them to change. It is difficult for many to accept the reality that people do not change be- cause we want them to or believe they need to or should, but when and if they choose to. So, if you can't change a per- son or circumstance, you are left with your next option - learn to accept it, him, or her. Accepting what you dislike, disagree with, or oppose is difficult if you are not open and receptive to the following: 1. People change. 2. You are responsible to people, not for them. 3. You are living in the past or the future. 4. You have a closed mind. 5. You are stuck in your percep- tions, opinions, and beliefs. 6. You believe your way is the best, or only way. 7. Your ego is so in control of your life that even though you know you are not right, you can't or refuse to accept what you can't change. It leaves you with your third and final option - you can leave. Many peoplemove too quickly to this option when faced with a difficult person or situation. Their patience and/ or acceptance quotient is too low for a peaceful or harmo- nious coexistence with life. They leave mar- riages too soon, jobs too quickly, and careers or business when things begin to get a l ittle difficult, get out of hand, or what we expected or wanted just isn't hap- pening. I am not suggest- ing people remain in destructive relation- ships forever, working for Genghis Kahn-like supervisors indefinitely, or staying in climates they dislike to be a martyr. I am suggesting, many people rush through the first two options too quickly and find they have left them- selves painted into a corner with only one face-saving choice - bail out. There are times when leaving is your best choice, given your current set of cir- cumstances and their destructive influ- ence on your self-image, attitudes, or life destiny. Only you can decide if you have given yourself and/or the situation or person adequate time for change, or if you have sincerely tried to put your expectations and prejudices aside and truly accept the person or circumstance. There you have it - change it, accept it, or leave it. Here‘s a thought: I will almost guar- antee that in some area of your life you are faced with one of these three choices or options. As a side note, a major contributor to stress is when you are in one of the first two areas and can't seem to move to the next one. In other words, you have realized you can't change something, but refuse to accept it; or you can't accept something or someone, but won't leave. In His service, Tim To receive Tim’s weekly FREE motivational booster articles, contact him at www.timconnor.com with “please add me to your free booster e-mail subscriber list” in the subject line. Or contact him via e-mail at michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com 32 JULY 2015 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Dealmakers Send your deals to: promotions@ worldwidedrillingresource.com Troy and Marie Cunningham of Vernon, Florida, accepted delivery of their customized GATORMADE trai ler direct from the factory in Somerset, Kentucky.