This is my dad’s work ID. Now it’s in his man station (think purse in basket form). A few minutes ago its whereabouts was unknown, he was stressed, and everyone in his vicinity was on edge too.
Losing stuff sucks. We’ve all been there. As I helped dad retrace his steps, I got to thinking about how best to handle conundrums of this nature. I think it’s just like handling anything else.
It’s natural to get riled up, defensive, frustrated, and even pissed at yourself when you lose your marbles (or anything else), but that probably just prolongs the problem. It’s not easy to step out of the emotional abyss, but it’s essential. That can always start with a deep breath. It’s a way to step back, unplug, and immediately become more mindful.
Then take accountability. It can be tempting to blame someone else. Dad insisted mom moved his badge. It’s like when I recently slammed my fiancé’s car door on my fingers and wanted to bite his head off. Not productive. Deep breath.
And one final tip–ask for help. It helps me to say a prayer, but asking another person with a clear head to help retrace your steps can be beneficial too. Their prodding and the extra set of eyes can make a difference.
In the end we found Dad’s badge in less than 20 minutes. Not bad for a life lesson.