Many of you have said that the Motivation Monday posts are becoming some of your favorites on The Lyons’ Share. I often feel like I’m straying from what I’m “supposed to” be doing by posting motivational thoughts that are more life-related than health-and-fitness-related. But, then I remember two things … first, your life, your stress, your emotions, and how you treat yourself are very intimately linked to your health. And second, these are some of my favorite posts to write, so I’m going to keep doing them! It’s amazing – I’ll sit down to write on Sunday nights and something just hits me that I really needed to think about. Sometimes, it’s about health, and sometimes it’s not (at least not explicitly), but it is always something that helps me, and I hope some of them will help you, too. 
So, on to today’s post. Two things happened last night that had me frustrated. The first was work-related, and suffice it to say that I “knew” I was right and was frustrated by wanting to prove a point but being powerless. The second was dealing with a retailer from which I had ordered Christmas gifts … they had made a mistake on my order, which resulted in me having to go to the store twice despite ordering online with shipping to my house. This is especially difficult since I travel, and I spent several minutes on the phone explaining the situation to the representative on the phone, who just couldn’t do anything about it. If you heard my conversation, you would have heard “Don’t you understand, I didn’t make a mistake, you did, so it’s not fair that I have to fix it” and “but I asked for shipping to my house, not to the store” and several other instances of me trying to convince the representative that I was right. It was clearly a dead end – she couldn’t do anything about it, and I wasn’t getting anywhere (besides more frustrated) by arguing. 
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You know what? At some point, it’s better to just be at peace with the situation. Yes, it’s a pain for me to have to go to the store to pick up my item, but in reality, I am lucky to be dealing with “problems” like this that involve me buying gifts for my family, I am able to go to the store, and in the grand scheme of things, this is NO. BIG. DEAL. But I really got myself worked up about it before I finally let it go.
Anyone who knows me knows that I like to be right. It’s not the best quality, but it really frustrates me when I “know” I’m right and others just aren’t seeing it. Nine times out of ten, though, that stubbornness doesn’t get me anywhere. Yes, if it’s an issue of principle or morals, or of course if someone could be hurt in the process, I do believe you should stick to your convictions and stand up for what you know is right. Definitely! But if it’s not serving anyone … let it go. 
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Is there something that has really been grating on your nerves and getting you irritated, that you could just let go? I urge you to do it. Right now! Just let it go! And tell me how much lighter you feel afterwards :).
So tell me in the comments … Do you like to be right? Do you sometimes hold grudges? Is there something right now that you can let go?
haha! Good one. And I was just playing around, I think there are many more important things than blogs, so letting go of comments for a couple of weeks is a GREAT idea!
Topic hopping, I would still enjoy even just a basic ‘why I love my new Garmin’ post – I always learn from these things.
Speaking of which – I had been running in cold, dark, snow, ice, rain and so on for more than 23 years when I started reading blogs and first encountered at Dorothy Beal’s blog a list of running safety tips for women. Wow … amazing perspective that was so different than anything I had encountered before!
Oh no!!!! Another blog for me to get behind on – haha!! That one looks great – just got sucked into reading a bunch of posts. This may be the one you’re talking about, in case anyone else reads this comment: http://www.mile-posts.com/2013/04/early-morning-running-safety-tips.html
That is exactly the article! It is a very enjoyable blog by someone who came to running a bit later in life and has really done well for herself. Some very good stuff and a good community. So not only will you end up with HER blog, but also loads of others to follow!
One of my biggest irritants ever is when I know I am right, and people still want to argue. I waste so much time and energy arguing back. It is so hard to let it go though, when you know you are right 🙂
I totally hear you, Katie – I think our stubbornness is genetic :). But it REALLY helps to just let it go sometimes!
I definitely want to work on letting go more. I tend to let things get to me because my mind turns the same thing over and over in my head and examines it from every single freaking angle. It’s exhausting!
Ugh, girl, you and me both – examining things from every single angle is one of my “specialties” :). Hope you breathe and let something go today!
I really enjoy reading your posts! Such great stuff to think about! I feel like I’ve been wound up a little tight, especially this month. I’m so over Christmas and it’s not even here yet! It’s about picking and choosing your battles and dropping the things that don’t matter. I need to re-read Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Probably the greatest book ever written. lol! Thanks for the reminder!
Tonya, I agree that Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff is such a great book – it was one of my grandmother’s favorites and always used to be lying around her house! I’d love to get my hands on a copy, so thank YOU for the reminder!
I can definitely relate, Megan! I used to be one who held grudges but then realised they just built up further anger and was just not worth it mentally or physically. I also do like to be ‘right’ and hate the humble pie, but through my area of work have learnt the importance of adaptability and communication. I used to often eat humble pie!
Thanks again for these posts!
Yes, HR professionals definitely need to be adaptable. I can’t imagine the patience and understanding your job requires!
I definitely need to be selective in my battles! Sometimes I can be very stubborn. I would have been extremely annoyed with the retailer if I were in your position too.
Ahh, stubbornness … one of my “best” qualities. Haha!!! But the constant reminders do help, and I am getting a bit better at letting it go!
This was a well timed reminder in my life – thanks Megan! So happy today was your last Monday flying in 2013!!!
Yes, no more flying for me! Hope you guys are having a wonderful Christmas break!
What a wonderful reminder. Yes I like to be right too but sometimes we just need to open our minds and that usually turns out to be pretty great! I also meant to comment yesterday that I love your approach to the holidays. So balanced 🙂
Thanks, Amy!
Needed this this morning. So far today I have sliced my finger open, spilled my Mom’s rosemary infused olive oil all over the kitchen table, the subway shut down resulting in an hour and a half on the shuttle bus and then I posted my post for tomorrow today (crisis averted thankfully) but all things considered, life is good! I got myself all worked up and then took a couple deep breaths and remembered that it is so not worth it to stress myself out over nothing.
Holy moly, that’s a bad day! Good thing it’s well in the past now. Did the rosemary infused olive oil spill at least make the house smell delicious?!? Hope you’re relaxing and breathing today!
First off Megan you are just so awesome and make my day! Haha I COMPLETELY agree with you on always having to be right I am the same way, and I would have probably been that same exact way about the situation, trust me! But I always know at the end of the end I might not always be “right” and need to catch myself before I get too flustered or mad, I always just tell myself to breathe and keep it to myself! This post is seriously so relatable to me, and I’m glad you posted it this morning. Haha you always provide such useful, encouring tips that help me to stay positive! I need to tell myself daily let it go…!! also don’t worry about your presents they will all come in, in time without a problem & everyone will love them (: haha thanks again for your motivational Monday posts and this one in particular! I hope you have a wonderful Monday, even though today is a tricky one with my last day of finals I know I can do it! & safe travels on your last trip (of this year hehe)
– Allie 🙂
Thanks so much for the encouragement, Allie! Hope you consider this yet another reminder to breathe and let it go – especially now that finals are over!!! You deserve a great, relaxing break!
What a great post! I have to remind myself this often. Sometimes we just have to breathe and let go of what we don’t have control over. It isn’t worth ruining our day, night, or week. We need to focus on the important things in live. Thanks for the reminder Megan!
Thanks, Sara :). Have a wonderful day!
And isn’t that that question you need to ask yourself – exactly WHAT will my relentless pursuit of proving I am right get me? I get into that loop myself – I think we all do – but I know my wife and I have had that discussion many times over the years “ok, we’re right, they’re wrong … so what will this get us?” We know that the person on the other end of the phone – or the one behind the register and sometimes even the on-duty manager – only has so much power to make things right or better.
Ultimately the question is ‘starting now, what is your desired outcome’? That immediately eliminates rumination of past events and focuses on working forward. I always think that is mentally a more healthy approach because it forces you to separate your anger at past mistakes from what you really want.
And I personally think that trying to force yourself into posting only the ‘correct’ things means missing out on doing what is right for yourself 🙂
That is EXACTLY the point I was trying to make, Michael – sometimes the relentless pursuit literally won’t get me anywhere besides frustrated. And when that happens, it’s time to stop. Thank you for the encouragement, as always!
I love “starting now, what is your desired outcome?” I will totally use that!! Thanks, Michael!
Wow … someone is catching up on comments! 🙂 Burning through my phone battery with all the notifications! 😀 haha
But I do like revisiting posts – because it allows me to look at comments that came in after I left mine, which is always really cool. For me that is one of the best things about blogs – not just the posts themselves but the commenters!
SORRY!!!! I “resolve” (haha!) to do a better job at keeping it up. As I just mentioned to Kevin, this was one of those things that I just “let go” over the past 2.5 weeks. I read every single comment as they come in, but just don’t always respond right away. Not anymore!
What a great way to look at the situation. I definitely find myself getting heated when I have to talk w/ represenatives on the phone. I’ll go into the conversation telling myself to be calm .. yeah that lasts for about 3 minutes. Ha!
We can work on being calmer together, Jessie! Just remember … they have a tough job, and it’s not THEIR fault that things are so frustrating. Happy Holidays!
You and me both, Jessie. Hopefully we both had the opportunity to take a deep breath as we dealt with others this holiday season :).