Your life will continue even if Starbucks is out of Cranberry muffins
Change.
It’s a scary word. It’s a downright nasty word. But does it have to be?
We all have had to deal with or inevitably will deal with some time-bending changes during our lifetime.
These changes can be monumental – a death in the family, a job loss, or a car accident.
Microscopic changes such as being forced to make a detour on the morning commute, discovering that they are out of your favorite muffin at Starbucks, or finding a tear in your beloved pair of blue jeans are sometimes just as toxic – at least we make them into WWIII.
How about a three step plan to adapting to the changes that WILL introduce themselves to your life?
Breathe.
Lack of breathing restricts your focus. Breathe deep from your core. Inhale slowly through your nose and watch your belly rise. Gently exhale through your mouth and watch the tension dissipate. Use this trick before any important meeting, big athletic endeavor of anything else that requires your unwavering focus. Your muscles and mind can’t perform at their peak levels when you are not breathing properly.
Get over yourself.
Sure, you’ve got problems. We’ve all got problems. How about moving outside yourself and asking how someone else is doing? Can you help them solve their problems? When you are helping others solve their problems, you can’t be distracted and overburdened by your problems. Stressed about a big project at work? Take a lunch break and help out a local charity, call a friend, or swing by a co-worker’s office and see how you can help them with anything.
Start down the path.
Problems won’t go away until you find a solution. Make incremental steps towards resolving that major stumbling block at work or in your personal life by getting after it. You may not solve the problem of the moment today or even tomorrow, but making progress towards a solution can do wonders for your psyche and ego.
Change. That wasn’t that difficult, was it? It does not have to be a horrific experience.
Until next time,
Dan Naden
