Facing Challenges

Every year presents a new challenge that tests our patience and resolve.  Sometimes it is a physical test and sometimes the world feels like challenging our mental toughness.  Headaches can be caused by work, by family, or by our own personal issues.  In the end, it really doesn’t matter what challenge the world presents us.  What matters is our resolve to overcome the problems facing us.

Always a Solution

There is no unsolvable problem, every issue can be corrected.  However, it is possible for us to not be happy with the outcome.  We come across hurdles every day and we often maneuver around them without issue, although sometimes we do fall flat on our faces.  It happens to all of us.  No one is perfect and beyond making mistakes.  Where we get into trouble is when we stop trying and when we give up.  Frequently, we must break bad news to a customer, coworker, or family member.  This news can involve money, can be about delays, or any other unforeseen issue.  That is the challenge of life in the real world.  Things do not always go according to plan and errors cause frustration.  We all try to avoid being in these unpleasant situations, but when we find ourselves in one, we must remain calm.  It is easy to blame someone or complain, but it is hard to come up with solutions.  The best approach is to tell the truth and think about what can be done.  Creative thinking can solve some problems, but others just take time.  Just remember this one important rule, lying can only make a situation worse.

Worrying About What You Can Control

All of us waste time and effort worrying about something that is beyond our control.  A shipping delay is the perfect example of this problem.  If we send a package and the freight company has an issue, the arrival date gets delayed.  Yes, we can call and complain about the issue, but does that really solve the problem?  The past year full of logistical issues for many companies.  Product manufacturing was behind and shipping was delayed.  We have all had issues finding things we need in stock at the store.  This is a problem that we cannot not solve.  We have two options.  One is we wait or the other is we try to find an alternative product for our needs.  What differs between each situation is how long the delay will be, how much it will cost, and how much we frustrate ourselves over it.  Lower priced items often sell out first so buying a higher price item might be our only choice.  This can be seen when we consider products like home appliances.  If our water heater breaks, we need a new one sooner then later.  We will often buy a higher priced model to get it sooner.  In other situations, we can simply wait.  If we see an outfit, we want but it is unavailable in our size we can just wait until the next style is revealed.  Sure, we might be disappointed, but clothing is not that important. It does not matter what the problem is, what matters the most is we do not stress ourselves out too much worrying about it. 

Mental Health

One of the hot topics of discussion over the last year has been mental health.  Certain events in popular society have brought attention to this delicate issue.  What we must learn from this trend is that not everyone is always in a good mental state and that is okay.  We often do not know what to do to help our friends and families.  Sometimes people want to talk, other times they just need some time to themselves, and in some cases, people need external help.  There is no wrong way to deal with stress and depression because everyone is different.  However, it is not okay to ignore the problems exists.  If you or a loved one needs support, simply look for it. Many employers offer options to help, many religious organizations and government programs offer free assistance as well.  It is important for us to take care of ourselves, and our mental health is key to our happiness.  So, remember to be supportive to those in need and to ask for help when you need it.  There are lots of kindhearted and helpful people out there.  Do not be afraid to meet them. 

As stated earlier placing blame on someone for a problem is easy.  That being said, the easiest solution to a situation is not always the best course of action.  We must be thoughtful in how we approach things, and we must think of others as well.  If we make sound decisions and remember to not stress about things beyond our control things will eventually work out.  Finally, remember that problems are a fact of life and do not let them defeat you.  Work hard, stay calm, and do the right thing and everything else should work itself out.