How To Reset When Obstacles Arise
The question is not if you’ve faced an obstacle, but when. You’ve undoubtedly faced many, you may be dealing with one right now. Life is filled with them, but within that inevitability lies valuable opportunity in how you choose to react. How many inspirational quotes have you read about overcoming obstacles? Probably enough to tell you that we are constantly evaluating the best ways to confront them. Below are some exercises for resetting and overcoming.
Start with, “thank you.”
When a problem arises, try to reach for a feeling of gratitude. This may seem counterintuitive, but if you consider each obstacle to be an opportunity in disguise, it helps reframe the situation –– how lucky to have this chance to grow! If, for example, you’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling with time management, think about how fortunate you are to learn new skills, to flex your creative muscle, or even to have a job at all. If you’re confronted with financial issues, embrace the opportunity to learn new budgeting strategies. Once you’re in the habit of approaching obstacles with gratitude, acknowledging the opportunity becomes easier each time.
Recognize your strength.
In her memoir Educated, Tara Westover writes, “Whomever you become, whatever you make yourself into, that is who you always were.” Have confidence in your abilities and try coming up with a short phrase, or mantra, that quickly adjusts your perspective. For instance, “I already have the tools I need to succeed,” or “I am resilient, capable and ready to learn from this challenge.” Write it down somewhere in your workspace to anchor you.
Quantity over quality.
Reframing your mindset is a great mental practice to compliment a more tangible one. In order to effectively brainstorm solutions, we need to wake up the right side of the brain with a creative exercise. To do so, think quantity over quality. For example, consider the question, “How many ways can I invite my friend to dinner?” Set a timer for 60 seconds and write down as many possible answers you can think of. The answers don’t need to be rational; they don’t even need to be physically possible. Sure, you could call your friend, but you could also send a carrier pigeon, you could communicate telepathically, you could say it with skywriting, you could do it in Morse code –– the more inventive, the better.At the end of the 60 seconds, count how many ideas you were able to come up with. Repeat the activity with a new prompt and see if you can come up with even more answers. By generating rapid-fire, creative solutions, you’re preparing to approach obstacles with innovation, while the time constraint prevents you from overthinking any one option.
Get a second opinion.
No shame in asking for help! If you’re feeling mentally blocked, ask a friend how they would approach the situation. New perspectives are guaranteed to bring new results.
The good news is, obstacles encourage adaptability. The more adaptable you become, the more equipped you are for the next obstacle that comes your way –– if you approach it with gratitude, it’s almost like a win-win.
