By Sunny Simon
Opening the text on my phone, I found a picture of a beautiful woman in a red dress accompanied by an interesting vehicle. Smiling I realized my friend Carol, forever and inspiration to me, was not going to let a broken foot keep her down. Here was a perfect example of one of my mother’s favorite expressions, “Where there is a will, there is a way.”
Studying the picture, I realized Carol was using this cool four wheel vehicle to follow doctor’s orders to keep off her broken foot. Her knee rested on a plank allowing her good leg to push her around scooter-like. Again I was reminded of something a friend’s mother once said: “Everything is figure-out-able.” I remembered laughing at the made up word, but loved it nonetheless.
Carol’s actions and the mother-isms I love are life lessons. Often situations in everyday life trigger road blocks dotting our life landscape like immense mountains or menacing walls. Don’t let those barriers stop you.
Need a suggestion to help design a way to tunnel under or scale your wall like Superman leaping tall buildings? Begin by labeling your wall. It could be limited thinking. For example, if Carol believed the only way to heal was to stay in bed with her foot propped on a pillow accompanied by a bell used to summon family members to wait on her, well you get it, she wouldn’t be wearing that red dress looking like she’s ready to conquer the world.
Perhaps your label is fear of the unknown. I once wanted to accept a teaching position in Australia. What stopped me? Anxiety over being halfway around the world removed from friends and family. Regretfully, I allowed fear to squash my adventure.
Once you uncover the cause of your frustration, get over it! Sounds harsh, but don’t waste time feeling sorry for yourself. You lost the sale, got laid off, had to cancel a much needed vacation because your car broke down and fixing it sucked up precious leisure funds.
Stop the pity party. Want the vacation? Get a second job. Got laid off? Write a dynamite resume and begin your search. Lost the sale? Figure out why and take another run at it.
I once saw a bumper sticker bringing me to my bottom line and it goes like this: When life hands you lemons, throw them back and demand chocolate! Get the picture? Scale your wall, move your mountain, get the job done I know you can because as wise women once said, everything is figure-out-able. Sunny Simon is the owner of Raise the Bar High Life and Career Coaching. More about Sunny at www.raisethebarhigh.com
