5 Steps for Overcoming Challenges & Growing Pains
It's February, and this might be the time when you're feeling a bit of a struggle with any intentions, expectations or new years' resolutions you may have made.
So, I wanted to talk about Growing Pains - no not the tv series from the 80's, (although bonus points if you remember that show!), but about finding yourself really uncomfortable with something new and perhaps feeling overwhelmed or in self doubt over it.
Maybe our boss challenged us with a task we'd never done before (and might feel freaked out by), or whether it's a personal goal of ours that we thought we'd rise up to, but feel like shrinking under. It's easy to fall back into thinking about ourselves and whether we feel capable or worthy enough to accomplish something. For me what has worked the best is taking myself out of the equation.
Focus on the goal - not yourself.
Just to stop thinking about whether you can do it or not, and just look at it like an equation, a problem to solve.
When it's someone else's problem we always seem to have all the answers, right?
Well for starters that's usually because we don't have all the details so, we might not be right about that - but at the same time it's BECAUSE we don't have all the details that the problem becomes more manageable.
If we can take a step back and gain perspective - like the outside perspective we have with our friends' troubles, then we can apply that same unemotional, rational mindset to problem-solving.
Then break it down into parts.
For me it helps to write it down. And you'd be surprised how much easier it is when you treat it like a long math equation (even if you hated math).
We often say to our friends or ourselves "How am I going to do this?!" but if we simply change our tone and approach it with curiosity we get "How am I going to do this?" - and when we genuinely ask ourselves, we come up with the answers.
Be willing to be flexible with the moving parts.
By this I mean, be willing to accept different ways of approaching the same result. You may need to become a little creative in finding different ways of achieving your goal. Depending on what obstacles present themselves, it can be really helpful to think of alternative solutions, rather than getting stuck on one way only.
You're resourceful, likely even more than you think.
Really. Our minds are meant for problem solving, and when we take our emotion out of the equation, then that's all it really is. When we think about it, what makes a situation good or bad? Unless it's life threatening, it's our emotions that we attach to it.
Stay calm, you've got this.
The further you go into your project, you might get frustrated or impatient. Just keep coming back to taking yourself out of the equation. Whatever happens, it's often not a reflection of you, and if you keep calmly and confidently plugging away, success is sure to come.
Rinse and Repeat!
Once you've tried this approach and find it works for you, it's another tool you can use time and again. I've used this approach many times and it's been a lifesaver, or more specifically, a job saver!
Let me know how this works for you in the comments below. I'd love to hear if you have any other tips or tricks you'd like to share.
~Wishing you a peaceful road, wherever it may take you <3
