BECOMING YOUR PROBLEMS

I was talking to a friend the other day about some problems she was having in several different areas of her life.   They were important issues that needed to have time and attention, but as the conversation went on, it became apparent that she was hitting "overwhelm" mode.  The more we discussed things, the more the situation sounded dire and depressing.   She was "becoming her problem."

When problems and adversity seep into our lives, we often "internalize" the problem and see ourselves as the main root of our difficulties.  We get locked into this sense helplessness because our mind automatically runs "worse case scenarios" through our consciousness.  Einstein made reference to this when he said, "You can't solve a problem with the same mentality that created it."

Skilled problem solvers always see their problems as "separate" from themselves.  They don't allow situations or circumstances to affect their self-esteem, confidence or resourcefulness.  That's why they seem to resolve things without paying the huge emotional toll (or drama) that comes when we beat ourselves up for the predicaments we find ourselves in.

Our nature as humans is to be loving, wise, caring, interactive and intelligent.  If we get sucked into believing our lives are just a series of ongoing problems, we don't give ourselves the chance to see our real talents, skills and passion.