Surely from time to time you have stages in which obstacles or problems of different categories appear that, although not necessarily important, worry or stress you. It could be that an unforeseen expense has appeared, that something has gone wrong, that you have a drop in customers…. Suddenly it seems that things are not going well and you are getting overwhelmed.
Obviously we all have problems, and it goes without saying that hoping not to have them is never completely absurd and unreal. The question then lies in what you do when those problems arise, in your attitude towards them. We already know that a change in attitude works wonders, but how can we achieve it?
As always, it is not easy but recently I read two options that I found interesting. These are:
1. Change your conception of problem, redefine it.
Words have more emotional power than we think. If you remember, in another article I mentioned how the situation changes if instead of thinking that you are "nervous" (before a talk, for example), you think that you are "excited". It is something that works very well and in this case you can do the same.
Steve Chandler in his book “Time Warrior” suggests that instead of thinking about a problem, with all the negative connotations that this entails (because we always associate that word with negative things and, therefore, better not keep it in mind), think In a project.
Yes, a project, which can be difficult and you may not like it. But do you realize the difference?
Emotionally, a project is something more exciting and fun than a problem. It allows you to get out of stagnation and mental block and start thinking about how to do it (that is, how to end the problem), or not? To which must be added the feelings of accomplishment and self-esteem when we finish a project.
A single word can mean a great change in your perception, in your attitude and in your results. It is not the same problem as a project. It is not the same to obsess and overwhelm yourself thinking that you have a problem and that you do not know what to do, or why you have so many problems or any other type of victimizing thought, that seeing it as a challenge, a project that must be finished. Test it.
2. Consider them something fascinating, an object of study.
It seems to me that it was in one of Suzanne Evans's newsletters where she commented that since you are going to have problems, yes or yes, why not start considering them as something fascinating that appears on your way. Yes, fascinating. I love this way of looking at it. When you have one of those stages in which obstacles or problems of a different category appear in your life (and the more stressed you are, the more they usually appear, right?), Instead of being overwhelmed and stressed even more, why not think: “Fascinating, look at what appears now to make things interesting. What can I learn from this? ”
When you consider it something fascinating, your attitude changes, at least it makes you take things differently and we already know that everything resides there, in your attitude. Better to be funny or intrigued than stuck, right? Better to ask yourself what you can do about it, what you can learn or why so many obstacles appear now, than to be sorry. Perhaps you have relaxed and overlooked important things, perhaps it is time to stop and recharge batteries. The point is that seeing it this way makes you think differently and that's where the changes begin.
Of course there are problems and problems and I do not intend to solve the world. There are certain situations that will require other types of measures, but if you get used to thinking like this when faced with small problems, perhaps when an older one appears you will know how to handle it better, don't you think?
Apart from this, we must not forget that problems make you stronger, more sure of yourself. As Steve Chandler says, problems are actually good for us, but we are not able to realize it (except when they happen to others) due to the emotionally negative connotations of the word. So now you know, from now on try one of these options, see if anything changes…
Tell me in the comments which one you like the most and if it has worked for you. To me the "fascinating" yes.
