Get in The Game

Deb is an Interpersonal Communication coach. Contact her at: DobbsCommunication.com

In life there are times when we all turn away from situations because they seem too hard to manage. Goals seem too extreme to accomplish. We shrink from commitment to avoid failure. We stay silent to avoid ridicule or harassment. No one wants to be singled out or put at risk. Sometimes it feels safer to remain neutral. The problem with indifference is nothing will change until we face our challenges. The old saying, what you resist persists, is true. Without direct intentional action there’s never a change.  Your first step in a new self-awareness is to realize what needs to change.

Consider, are you stuck rationalizing the same problems?  Do you talk yourself into and out of situations based on what seems easiest to believe? Have you found the easiest way is rarely the best way? Shortcuts often lead to disappointment. Don’t perpetuate your troubles. Don’t make desperation your habit. Chart a different path. Here are some tips to help you stop recycling issues that block your happiness.

Start by taking control of yourself. Be clear on your thinking, your words and your behavior. Own it. How you think and act directly affect how you feel about yourself. Next, acknowledge your mistakes. Use your imagination to think through how to avoid the same empty outcomes. If you’re having trouble seeing yourself differently, reach out for help. Next, make a quality decision to stop hurting yourself and if applicable, hurting others. Be renewed. Forgive yourself. Give yourself a chance to do better and to be better. Finally, kick fear to the curb. Find opportunities to reinforce positive outcomes for yourself and others. Then put your plan into action. Step out with a new sense of inner peace, freedom and growth. It can start when you make your self-talk your strength.