Challenges in life are not metered out in regular portions, for convenient processing by those who are receiving the challenge. They come at a pace that is not picked by anyone or anything we can understand. I will make an observation though: some periods of time are noteworthy because they seem to have very few challenges, and are kind of easy, in-the-groove-times where you just do your thing. Periods of heavy challenge seem to have many things poking at us at about the same time. Maybe once we start focusing on the problems or challenges, we start to attract more junk, or maybe grandma was right when she said trouble “comes in threes.” I do not know. I lean towards the first idea…that when we are in the groove doing our thing, we seem to have a positive momentum that keeps us on a happy path for quite awhile sometimes, and when we get derailed from that path, we seem to get stuck on a troubled or slightly bothersome path, unless we can somehow blow ourselves up off that path and realign.
The quickest way I have found to get off the trouble or big challenges path, is to do these things:
- Deal quickly with the tactical problems that are bothering you, but do not internalize them or dwell on them…instead, fix it now, then let it go, realizing it is an external event that is no longer important. If the things bothering you are outside your control, let those things go. Then…
- Move your body a bit…preferably outside, to get your head clear, and get back to the moment.
- Get back to doing the things that take you in the direction you want to go. If you focus too much or get too emotional about the annoying things that are happening to you, those things get more weight and power in your life, and more stuff you don’t want seems to come your way.
- Do not overwork on those tasks, just because you got off track a bit with some unplanned junk in your life. When you do this, you end up grinding through instead of feeling joy that you are working towards something you want. Don’t do it, instead, after you get your junk handled and refocus on your goals and next steps…
- Go to bed a little early to regenerate your energy, so you can get back to work fresh tomorrow. Fresh perspective, restored energy, motivation, and joy that you are on your path!
Keep stretching for what you want…every day cannot be perfect, so do not get too upset when you step in some hot mess!