Solving your problems proficiently

If you choose to disregard your difficulties, you may find yourself unable to make progress. Is it possible that you are allowing little difficulties to escalate into major impediments by failing to address them?

In the face of difficult events, it is tempting to turn a blind eye to them and avoid dealing with them. The route of least resistance seems to be the most appealing, and the amount of work necessary to deal with the issue appears to be much too great at times. It is not often the case that the issue is large, but rather that it necessitates us admitting something about ourselves or others that we do not like to acknowledge or confront. "You will not discover a solution by claiming that there is no issue," says the problem.

The longer you wait to deal with your issues, the more they will develop in size and complexity, making it more difficult to resolve them. They are similar to weeds that sprout in a well-landscaped garden. If they are not identified and removed from the garden as soon as possible, they will take over the whole garden and choke out the lovely flowers. In fact, you will forget that there was ever a beautiful garden there in the first place.

Throughout our lives, we encounter a variety of unusual scenarios and conditions that we have become used to and comfortable with to the point that we no longer see the need to change. It is possible for you to become used to poverty and a lack of resources. The ability to get used to mediocrity and failure is a real possibility. If you ignore the issue for a long enough period of time, it may cease to be a problem for you. What will be the problem is that you will not be living the type of life that you should be. Making do is not always a positive experience.

So, what strategies do you use to cope with problems? The first and most important step is to alter your perspective on the subject at hand. "The difficulty is in the way you see the situation." In such situations, we prefer to refer to them as "challenges" rather than "problems" since the term "problem" is a dead end. There is no place for compromise in this situation. When you approach anything as a challenge rather than a problem, your mind is free to consider how to react to the situation. The likelihood of feeling powerful and capable of dealing with it increases when you see it as a temporary challenge.

A second approach to dealing with an issue is to concentrate on finding a solution. It is likely that concentrating too much on the issue may make it much harder to fix. In your mind, this might magnify the issue to such an extent that it obscures or overshadows any potential solutions. Instead, try to imagine what your life would be like if the issue were to be fixed. This activates your imagination, and your brain will quickly come up with solutions to the situation at hand.

The last piece of advice is to "laugh at your difficulties because everyone else does." It is important to recognize that every difficulty, no matter how large it seems at the moment, can be resolved and that it is seldom the end of our existence, as we may believe. As long as you are breathing, there is no difficulty that cannot be solved. For those who are willing to seek it, there is always hope. Take everything in stride, and don't be afraid to fail. It is important not to become bogged down by it and to remember to appreciate it at all times. Even just having a carefree and enjoyable attitude can go a long way toward assisting you in dealing with your challenges.