Okay. I don't know if you do this, but I tend to blow things way out of proportion. As in, let's say, one person in the congregation is mad about something involving me, and by the time I'm done with my 3am freak-out session, I'm sure that I'm about to go into the office and get fired because everybody hates me. You never do that, do you? No. Certainly not. It's ridiculous.
But it does help to write down some perspective-keeping things. In the spirit of which:
1. One angry person is just that: one angry person. Not the whole church. Chill.
2. This person's particular anger is probably not about you at all. Even though it's aimed at you. Don't take it personally.
3. This person's particular beef is way, way off base. You know this.
4. You have the full and complete support of your fellow staff members and the council and, I'm guessing, 98% of the congregation. Not bad.
5. Tomorrow, this whole conversation you need to have with Angry Person will be over and done with. And life will go on.
6. The last, oh, one hundred times you've had to have a conversation with an Angry Person, it never went as badly as you thought it would. (Except for that one time, which was worse. But that was an isolated incident. Let it go.)
7. You can be firm and gracious at the same time. Really.
8. Also, there is apple pie in the fridge when you get home. Not that you want to go overboard with this as a coping mechanism, but it's there.
Okay. Ready to go.
2 comments:
Absolutely yes, I do that thing.
I grew up around a lot of 12-Steppers and for me, the first 3 of the 12 steps are incredibly soothing in those situations:
1) Admitted that I am powerless over _______ (generally some very worked-up person).
2) Believed that a power greater than myself could restore me to sanity.
3) Turned it over to God.
But, pie is good, too. ;)
Er, who me? Do that thing? Oh yeah.
Prayers for your conversation, and your restored equilibrium, and thankful for apple pie.
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