Obstacles come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them we deal with, some of them we don’t. Some of them might be with us for life – so you’d better have a way of dealing with them, getting over them, or just simply living with them. Here are our Five for Friday suggestions:
- Step back. If you’ve got your face a few inches from the wall, it fills your vision and overwhelms you. You can’t see how high it is or how wide – and you sure can’t see any way over it. If you step back, you can put it in perspective. You might even find it’s not that wide and you can find a way around it!
- Try a different approach. Einstein said the definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Let’s admit it – we all do that (especially with computers!!). So try a different approach – something you’ve never tried before. If one way’s not working and driving you nuts, what have you got to lose?
- Breathe. Come on, drop those shoulders and take a deep breath. Is this really as tough as you think? etc etc
- Be brave and trust yourself. Most of the time, when we’re faced with apparently insurmountable obstacles, fear kicks in and we lose confidence in our ability to cope. But trust yourself and be brave. People face all kinds of challenges and get through it – not because they’re way different from you, but because they don’t give in or give up. Go on, trust yourself. You can do it!
- Take a look around. It’s easy to become so obsessed with the obstacles in front of us that we fail to notice the life going on around us. Find something that gives you joy to give you a break from the obsessions. Is it your kids? your dog? your cat? your car? your garden? And if there is nothing that gives you joy, then you need to find something. Reconnect with family. Volunteer for something, even if you’re not that interested. Get out and connect with the world around you. When you have something or someone in your life to give you joy, the obstacles might still be there, but they won’t own you.
Is there a favourite way you ‘take back your life’ from the obstacles that try to own you? Let us know.
L & S.
the art of moi 
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