A Conversation with the IRS

Oh what an awful day yesterday! Between the IRS, Health Insurance, the Post Office and Banking errors, I had a terrible, horrible, no good day! It is as if everyone was plotting to test my patience and deliver as much red tape as possible, while very little got resolved. Some days it is harder than others to be an adult. I created this piece of calligraphy and had wonderful thoughts I wanted to write about how we all must face our own imperfections and still strive to be a better version of ourselves… and then that call with the IRS really did me in! I will have to call back – again, (issue still not resolved) yet all I can do at this moment is laugh. I did indeed find out about my own imperfection today!

As I grow older, I find that I am less tolerant of the wacky hubbabaloo and disconnected processes for people and organizations with which I have to interact. One department doesn’t speak to another, which makes it my job to communicate with them both. The numbers that don’t add up, the routings that go awry and I have to trace the path. The people who dare to utter those anger inciting words, “Well that’s not my job”, all while asking you to be sure to give them a 10 on their customer service rating so they don’t get in trouble. Am I crazy? Does this only happens to me? Do we need to rename it from Taco Tuesday to Terrible Tuesday?

During times of stress our own imperfections become glaringly apparent. We unknowingly tap into our dark side and must work ten times harder to be the person we know we are inside. Depending upon the audience or the issue our stomach juices begin to move into overdrive and our blood pressure boils. Some of us get silent, some of us get belligerent, and some of us just get downright loud! So I’m taking yet another deep breathe and exhaling a very heavy sigh!

How do you handle your terrible, horrible no good days? How do you relieve your stress? Yelling? Screaming? Stomping upstairs? Shouting horrible words at the dog or cat? Exercise? Cleaning? Escape into movies, the internet or work? Or maybe you internalize it all, stuff it down, and pretend that it is okay and hope it will all just go away? Or are you THAT person who never gets ruffled, angry or frustrated because you have learned to take it all in stride. If you are THAT person, today I need to channel my inner you!

After another deep breath and big sigh…I have a better perspective. I have been reminded of my imperfections AND I give thanks for the patience I am learning with myself and others…even the IRS! Distance provides perspective towards our challenges and ourselves. Sometimes the distance we need to navigate in best handled by looking inward and knowing ourselves better. Life will ALWAYS bring us terrible, horrible, no good days. That cannot be avoided. What will make them easier to handle is our ability to navigate our own imperfections AND a large swab of grace! Let me encourage you to take a deep breath, take two if necessary, and face your day with calm and patience. Especially if your day includes a conversation with the IRS!