Posts by Pat:
So What? Now What?
We can pretty much count on getting sidelined from time to time. And it’s important to not allow a setback become part of the larger story we often create around our “life of difficulties.”
So what? Now what?
We only need these four words! They’re perfectly crafted to
- give us perspective,
- unleash our creativity,
- and get us moving toward the needed answer and away from the problem.
So, when life/work/relationships/health/money get us down, we can reasonably allow ourselves a moment of heavy doom and gloom. Be an Eeyore! (remember him?)
But, after say fifteen minutes or so, we can draw ourselves up and ask ourselves:
“So what? Now what?”
The “so what” puts our current life blip into perspective. And the “now what” gets us focused on the choosing the next right action to take.
For example:
- Your child didn’t do something they were supposed to do. Okay. So what, now what?
- You didn’t set aside enough for taxes. Well, so what, now what?
- You got laid off at work. Hmm. So what, now what?
- You’re not feeling so great. In fact, you’re concerned something serious is going on. Well then, so what, now what?
We all have problems.
(It has been said that life is just a series of problems so that our life won’t be boring!)
But,
rather than adding to our problems by complicating things with the stories we tell ourselves, we could choose to move on.
Using the “so what? now what?” model can keep us from living in the problem and allow us to start brainstorming possible solutions.
I believe life is too short to waste time on being unhappy, being stuck, being angry.
I also believe life is too long to waste time on being unhappy, being stuck, being angry.
What do you think?
What do you do to get some needed perspective and to get yourself out of a problem you’re facing?
World Laughter Day?!
In honor of Tuesday, January 10th, known as World Laughter Day, I submit a few observations for you! We can laugh at ourselves and let the world laugh with us! Only in America…do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can […]
Easier for some people than others…
The new year is upon us, and that’s easier for some people than others. The election has happened, and that’s easier for some people than others. The winter is here and that means more dark and cold for a while, and that’s easier for some people than others. We’re getting older, and that’s easier for […]
7 notes to God…from kids
As we come to the end of the year, I suggest we can be thoughtful about our life this year. Here are some thoughts from youngsters to think about if you, perhaps, are no longer a “youngster!” Remember those old math textbooks that had half of the problems’ answers in the back of the book? They were useful in […]
The gift of walking…
One of my favorite stories (excerpted from My Christmas Treasury by Norman Vincent Peale) is about a missionary teaching in Africa. Before Christmas, he had been telling his native students how Christians, as an expression of their joy, gave one another presents on Christ’s birthday. On Christmas morning, one of the natives brought the missionary a […]
Ouch! I get it!
Have you ever read this “Autobiography in Five Short Chapters” by Portia Nelson? It’s a delight and even has a message! Chapter 1 I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost…I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way […]
Overcome overwhelm…
It’s a rotten feeling, isn’t it? Life can sometimes feel like it’s careening uncontrollably toward disaster-rather like the feeling you get when you’ve lost control of your moving car. It’s that feeling of complete helplessness and panic. While we may be feeling overwhelmed with everything going on in our lives right now, there are some concrete steps […]
It’s only one day…
This week we celebrated Thanksgiving. For many it was just a day to relax and to abuse ourselves nutritionally! But even so, many of us do remember the meaning of the day. It is… Thanks. Giving. It is a day to express our thankfulness and gratitude for the people, opportunities, and blessings in our lives. But it has […]
Attitude is all!
There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. “Well,” she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today.” So she did and she had a wonderful day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and […]
Erosion can be subtle…
The Grand Canyon wasn’t created by an earthquake! While it’s tempting to imagine that the world changes via sudden shocks, our culture is shifted by dramatic changes in leadership, grand gestures make all the difference.. it turns out that is usually our daily practice, the piling up of regular actions, the cultural practices and biases […]