Even the most blessed life will occasionally face challenges. It’s what you do when you face those challenges that matters most. Unfortunately, if you are like most people, what you do is ignore them – you pretend that they aren’t there, and either deal with them at the last-minute or hope that they go away.
We see this approach occur in many different ways:
Family/Friend Conflicts – When we are having trouble with a friend or family member, we ignore it and hope that they figure it out on their own.
Finances and Debt – We see a bad credit score, for example, and assume that it will be fixed in time when we have more money.
Job Satisfaction – Perhaps you don’t like your job. But often you aren’t doing anything about it, you’re just hoping that it gets better.
Ignoring problems may seem like a good solution. After all, if you ignore a problem then chances are it isn’t bothering you THAT much. But ignoring problems can also lead to serious challenges, some of which may be hard to face.
The Consequences of Ignoring Problems
Before anything else, it’s important to realize that it is impossible to ever truly ignore a problem. Even if you’re not thinking about it and not doing anything about it, you still know about the problem subconsciously.
This is important, because a problem that you are ignoring can still cause you to feel stress, anxiety, and in some cases depression, even though you’re not thinking about it. When we ignore a problem, we put it in the back of our minds. But it is not GONE from our minds. Our subconscious still thinks about them.
Indeed, it takes a mental effort to try to ignore a problem, and that effort itself can cause additional stress.
But beyond that, ignored problems can only become worse problems:
Jobs that provide you with no satisfaction tend to become progressively worse over time.
Family and friends that you have conflict with can breed resentment and negativity when no changes are made.
Debt and finances rarely heal themselves. They take a plan, otherwise the consequences can be long-lasting.
These are just examples, of course. But they indicate what happens when you pretend a problem isn’t occurring. It never goes away, and even while you’re “ignoring it” it is affecting you in unseen ways.
The Benefits of Attacking Your Problems Head On
Imagine what happens if you make an effort, however. If you start job searching, you can find a new job that is incredibly fulfilling. Indeed, that job could help you pay your debt, especially when combined with an action plan. When you address the issues with friends and family, you reduce resentment and anxiety, and you possibly help someone solve issues in their own life.
When you learn to face your challenges, you also train yourself to be unfazed by the issues that affect you. If you experience another challenge, you’ll immediately learn to be focused on the solution. Being a solutions focused person means that when you need a change in your life, you’ll be able to find it, and eventually your life will be even more fulfilling and enjoyable.
Be Your Own Motivator
Pretending problems do not exist doesn’t solve them, teaches you that it’s okay to not take action, and can in many cases make it worse for you – sometimes in ways you don’t even realize.
On the other hand, those that address problems directly take action when facing any type of challenge, and are more likely to see real change in their life. If you need help learning how to face these challenges, or need a coach in your corner helping you through it, contact me today at 1-800-937-2029.
What do you do when your problem with rage is caused by a situation that you truly can do nothing about. In my case, my Internet connection was deliberately hacked into somewhere between my house and the switching office in town, some 14-miles away. The perpetrators of this crime (it is a crime in the state I live in) routinely taunt and harass me. When I talk to authorities about it (personnel head and sheriff’s office so far) and they approach the perps and ask about it they simply deny it and say that I’m crazy. This set of circumstances is slowly and inexorably killing me with symptoms of uncontrollable blood pressure resulting in an advanced case of chronic kidney disease. I have already become permanently paralyzed on the left side of my face from a stress-induced case of Shingles (herpes zoster) resulting in a condition called Ramsey-Hunt Syndrome. If I think about this Kafkaesque situation at all I become overwhelmed with rage. But if I try to keep it at the back of my mind it inevitably comes back with a vengeance when I least expect it. It makes me afraid that one day I may do something stupid. Please help… or please refer me to someone who can help.
I hope you are doing better.