Hello and happy Monday! This is Susan Hyatt and it’s GO time. This is episode number 122.
In today’s episode we’re talking about maintaining a healthy sense of perspective when it comes to our problems.
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Wanna read the full transcript? Here ya go:
As you probably know, I’m a master certified life coach, which means I’ve worked for many, many years in the field of emotional health.
I help people deal with fears and anxieties, build confidence, achieve their goals, and create the life they really want.
When you’re studying to become a coach, one of the first things you learn is how to let your clients express themselves honestly. The goal is to create a safe space where your client can say, “I’m really scared” or “I feel so confused” or “I feel stuck” or whatever’s going on for them emotionally.
As a coach, you don’t EVER want to make your client feel silly or ashamed. For example, you would NEVER say to a client, “Oh, you didn’t get the job you wanted and now you’re sad? Please. That’s no big deal! At least you don’t have cancer! Now that’s a REAL problem!”
Obviously, you would never say something like that to a client, because that wouldn’t be helpful!
With all of that said, I do think it’s important to maintain a healthy sense of perspective. Because sometimes we can get really bent out of shape over problems and challenges that are incredibly tiny. And when I say “we” I mean all of us. Men, women, people from all professions and walks of life. Myself included.
Right now, I’ve got a friend who is going through absolute hell. I want to protect her privacy so I won’t share any details about her situation. But, imagine that absolute worst nightmare you can imagine happening in your life. Then double that. Then double it again. That’s the level of pain she is feeling right now.
Things are so bad, all I can do is call her throughout the day and literally just help her to breathe, just help her to exist, ten minutes at a time.
Witnessing my friend go through this nightmare has really given me a stronger sense of perspective. Yes, we all have our struggles. Yes, we’re all allowed to feel whatever feelings we need to feel. And also, we need to maintain some perspective.
When you really put things into perspective…
A busy day is not a problem.
Too much laundry is not a problem.
Not having enough extra cash to buy an expensive purse is not a problem.
A fight with your husband about household chores is not a problem.
Having a jiggly tummy pooch or an extra fifteen pounds is not a problem.
Having a six-hour flight delay is not a problem.
Feeling miserable because only three clients signed up for your program when you were hoping for six… you get the idea. Not a problem. Not really.
If you notice yourself complaining or feeling seriously distressed about something that is really quite fixable or just NOT a big deal, I urge you to pause, breathe, and remind yourself, “You know what? This is not a life-or-death problem. I am going to be just fine.”
Sometimes, we need to give ourselves this reality check, and shift from whining back into gratitude.
In a speech that he gave awhile back, the amazing Lin-Manual Miranda said to the audience, “Nothing here is promised, not one day.”
Waking up tomorrow—alive—is never guaranteed. Hugging your kids tomorrow is never guaranteed. Kissing your partner again is never guaranteed. We’ve got to stay awake and grateful for the moments we’ve got.
Some things are serious problems, it’s true. But most things just aren’t. Let your heart tell you the difference. Keep your perspective.
It’s GO time.
