When I was a kid growing up at a lakeshore cabin in Northern Minnesota, there were a few things that you could always depend on: the water was ALWAYS cold, when the wind was from the East you were going to get rained on and finally, bugs … and lots of ‘em! Now, I am not talking about the cute little house flys you see around your home, I am talking about bees, mosquitoes and horseflys that can carry small children and pets away. If you don’t know what I mean, think of a time where in the middle of the night you were awakened by the tune of a mosquito serenading you and he kept interrupting your sleep as you swatted him away, which seemed like hours upon hours. THAT’S the kind of bugs that I am talking about, the ones that know right where you sleep and are looking to make a name for themselves!
There are days that I still have those “bugs” around me buzzing in my ear; I know them all too well. Doubt, frustration, feelings of inadequacy or just down right loneliness, can all keep your brain running for hours and, if that’s the case, you feel like you can’t get anything done right or that you seem to be doing the same things over and over.
There are ways to beat back those “bugs” though and deal with them every time they show up. Take a break; remove yourself from the situation for a minute and get a new perspective; don’t be afraid to tell someone, “I don’t know but I will do some checking to get the answer.” It’s alright if you don’t know everything, nobody does, understand that that is ok. Also, you are gonna have some bad days, expect them, that way when they do happen you can recognize them for what they are and get past them that much easier. It’s gonna happen, the least you can do is enjoy the ride.
You can’t stop every mosquito, horsefly, or bee from biting, stinging or annoying you but, with a couple of positive thoughts in your arsenal, they don’t have to hurt so much. Keep them on your bedside stand for just in case … along with a big can of RAID.
Remember, we’re in this together!
