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Every Little Thing by April Jeppson

Lately, I’ve been hearing (and reading) a lot of, “Well if they had just done this …” and “We wouldn’t be in this mess if that person had done that …” And honestly? I get it.

It’s so easy to point out what everyone else could’ve done better. Like Olympic-level easy. But at some point, doesn’t it just start to feel … exhausting?

I’m not saying the critiques aren’t valid. I’d even bet that 90% of the time, sure, a situation could have been handled better. But here’s my thing: Do we need to constantly call it out? Like, loudly? With commentary and play-by-play analysis like we’re all unpaid ESPN anchors of life’s little failures?

It’s become background noise. A soundtrack of sighs, eye rolls and “Well, if I were in charge…” But the reality is, we don’t always get to be in charge. Most of the time, we’re just handed the aftermath, the puzzle pieces, the flaming bag of inconvenience left on our doorstep. And you know what? That’s where our energy should go, into problem-solving, not play-blaming.

Take my job, for example. I can’t tell you how many times I feel like we’re finally gaining traction, only for a brand new roadblock to drop out of the sky. At first, I used to spend so much time trying to dissect what went wrong and who should have done what. But eventually I realized … that’s not a good use of my time. I don’t have control over how other organizations run — or don’t. I barely have control over my own calendar most days, and I definitely don’t have control over the fact that I’ve reheated my lunch twice and still haven’t eaten it.

I’m reminding myself, because trust me, this one’s mostly aimed at me, that the best use of my time is not fixing things I can’t control. It’s finding a way around the obstacle, even if it’s with duct tape and bubble gum (I call that MacGyver style). My job is to get us where we’re going, not fix every pothole along the way that someone else forgot to fill.

There’s a saying I love, especially in spring: Keep your eyes on your own bobber. You’re not responsible for what’s going on down the shoreline. Focus on your own line, your own little piece of the lake. That’s where your energy matters.

The weather’s finally turning (woot woot!), and I’d much rather spend my evenings on the back deck, enjoying the breeze and the sound of my kids laughing, than getting worked up about someone else’s missteps.

As the wise poet and part-time philosopher Dolly Parton once said, “Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” And I’d add, don’t get so busy dissecting the problem that you forget to actually solve it.

So here’s to staying in our lane, minding our own bobbers and spending our time wisely — preferably enjoying some nice weather with the ones we love.

Albert Lean April Jeppson is a wife, mom, coach and encourager of dreams. Her column appears every Saturday.