By Latoya Hammond
Have you ever been in a situation at work where you have been confronted with having to reel it in? Where you have gone to go to another co-worker or superior and apologized for something you said; or for your visible displeasure with something you were told; or a decision that was made; and you did not know how to handle it?
If that’s you, then girl, I GOTT U!
I got to work one morning and I was in a great mood!! Talking with my co-peeps as usual about the story or stories of the day. Then my team leader comes to me while I am talking and says to me that if I plan on taking the day after Christmas off I cannot . . . she is at max capacity for requested time off for the day. Instantly, and I mean instantly, I got an attitude! It was all over my face and demeanor. I honestly thought there was no coming back from it. She explained and I eventually began my inner convo of get it together because you are not looking good here. . . you are looking like a brat. So I just said, “ok” and asked what else she needed. Still had bit of an attitude though. I explained my understanding of putting in time and the reason I did not put in my vacay time in yet. She then reminded me that she told our team to go ahead and put it in even if we think we were going to take it. Now realizing that I am in another office down the hall, not in the office with everyone else, where there may have been more conversations or reminders about putting in time off for the holidays. I began to think about WHY I reacted the way I did when it came to not having my time approved. Was it her delivery of the news? Partly, but, I will not put all the blame there. Was I caught off guard? Yes. Was it that I was not prepared and was salty that I was not going to be able to get that day off? YES! So after hearing both sides she did tell me the challenges she was up against and I understood her position. My supervisor told me she would try to work towards a solution. However, I needed to make sure I got my time off request in that day.
Afterwards, one of my co-workers said they witnessed it all and felt my heat. . . LOL!! But, they also witnessed how I reeled it in. We then began to discuss how we are not perfect but we are progressing. Then the Holy Spirit began to press upon me to apologize to my team leader for acting like a brat and for my attitude. Let me tell you in those moments I battled momentarily about if I was going to or not. However, I knew that I had no choice. If I am going to continue to grow and mature then my answer needed to be yes! The cool thing about this moment was that I knew I needed to apologize and did not have one of those “well, I didn’t really do anything wrong” type of moments. I knew that God was going to honor my decision to be obedient in that moment! I believe it did something for her and for our relationship. It definitely did something for me!!!
There will be times in our lives that we are going to be presented with the opportunity to humble ourselves, swallow our pride, be the bigger person. The question I have for you is what will you do? I believe what you do will say a lot about who you are in that moment. Trust me you may not rise to the occasion the first time. I know I did not. However, when you truly have a heart to grow and mature, to discover and begin walking in your purpose, I am a living example that eventually you will get it. Each situation we encounter that challenges us to examine ourselves is all connected to your purpose!!