Break the Same Old/Same Old Cycle

During lunch today I found myself involved in a conversation with coworkers that I’ve had before. We were discussing trends we’ve seen in productivity and employee turnover in different departments. What the conversation came down to was a minor rant about a corporate philosophy or approach which may be impacting an increase in turnover.

While this might not be an interesting conversation for most people, it is a common rant and gripe I hear in most offices I visit in my work. The urge to kick myself for getting stuck in the conversation was strong. I get involved and irritated when I have this conversation, no matter how many times I have it or how little impact I have to enact change in the philosophy.

I want to kick myself for getting involved and getting trapped. There is no more wasted time than that spent worrying about things you cannot change. Sometimes the same old conversation harms more than it helps. It isn’t just the time the conversation takes, but the stress on mind and body, negative feelings caused by feeling unable to make change, the frustration and the time spent dwelling on the issues after the conversation is over.

So here I am back again trying to break my own bad habits. This same exercise took place several times the year before I turned 30. You see, I knew that the pressure I was getting from friends and family about why I wasn’t married or settling down was just cultural crap that had nothing to do with me personally. Still, even while I was writing the book, I would occasionally be struck by the urge to change my life to fit the norm. Thankfully, that urge passed and I got my head on straight again.

So as you approach turning 30, even if you have a positive outlook, there might be times when the pressure gets you down. Just remember that you can always change your outlook, step off the merry-go-round and go a new way. All it takes is a single step away from the same old/same old conversation.