All of us dream of some type of change in our lives. Be it as simple as a fancy vacation to dreaming if only I could lose 30 lbs. As we grow and evolve we do change in small ways. Only the few, who are very disciplined, succeed at significant personal change.
In the ebb and flow of our lives we have times of quiet and times of trouble. This too happens to all of us.
When trouble hits, our stress level always go up. The uncertainty stress causes us leads us to safety by being the person we really are and to run to the habits that make us most comfortable. Logic seldom is heard in times of great uncertainty. Our ego panics leading to more stress because it doesn’t ever want to be wrong.
I confess I snack heavily in times of stress even though I keep trying to lose weight. I know this isn’t right but it just happens. Others become more volatile and emotional, especially at the pressure points where they must face the stress directly. Some hide and try to avoid those pressure points at all cost.
Stress from troubles is gut wrenching. Especially when we can’t control the outcome. What can we do?
First, we need to be aware of the fact that our natural reaction is to always go back to who we are and what makes us most comfortable. This is wrong because what we face is different than what we are used to so it always demands something different of us.
Second, we need to slow ourselves down to see what could be our next step that would help relieve the pressure. Sometimes it will be in a direction opposed to what we believe but ultimately is necessary.
For example, I don’t want to talk to the vendors that I can’t pay because I don’t want them to know when it would be better to have a discussion with them telling them I can’t pay them today but can pay them a small amount each month until I repay the debt to them.
Third, we then need to reflect what we did to help us get into this situation. We may not have saved enough money for that unexpected expense. What we tried did not work and it ends up being our stubbornness not to pivot that now becomes the “larger crime”.
Fourth, we always lose sight that there are things that we can do that will, over time, relieve the pressure. We need the courage and the faith to search for those new things that can do this for us effectively.
Trouble is never easy. Just always remember to check your first instinct to run back to who you are so that you begin the hard work of finding a way out.