How to deal with a problem in a positive way

Everybody has to face a problem at some point in their life, and some are more “sticky” than others. But if you manage to deal with the problem in a positive way, the results are more likely to be positive!

You’re not alone if you tend to tackle a problem by focusing on it – most people do – but surprisingly, this is not the positive way to go about it.

What if, instead of focusing on the problem, you chose to focus on a solution instead? Here’s an example…

Let’s say you’re struggling financially and your electricity bill is due but you have no money in your account.

You could spend all day and night worrying about this problem, but of course that’s not going to help it to go away, right?

Ok, so what DO you want?

I’m pretty sure you want to have that electricity bill paid, right? Ok, so begin by focusing on that! How would it feel to have that bill paid? What is the dominant emotion you will experience once you’ve sent that payment over?

Alright, so now that you’re focused on what you want (to have the bill paid) instead of what you don’t want (the bill is outstanding), it’s now time to find the solution.

This requires some creativity on your part, and you should hold off on this step until you’re feeling good. If you do this while feeling bad, you will be less likely to come up with a viable solution. Maybe take a walk, meditate, or simply walk outside in bare feet for 10 minutes until you feel relaxed and calm, then set about finding a solution.

If you’re struggling for ideas, here’s a few you may want to consider:

• Extend the payment due date (if you can) to a later date to give yourself some time
• Contact the electricity company to ask for an extension or for a payment plan – these companies are more open to helping those who are taking steps to help themselves!
• Declutter your home and sell off any unwanted items – you’d be surprised how many dollars worth of clutter you have sitting around!
• Find other ways to make some extra cash – clean somebody’s home, mow the lawn, deliver pamphlets, do some ironing, and the list goes on (I could write a whole book with ideas on this!) – there is always somebody who needs something done for them that you are probably able to do!

When you are focused on the solution or the answer, you’re more likely to find the solution or the answer. When you are focused on the problem or the question, this is what you will find – more of the same problem or more questions.

So when you next find yourself faced with a problem, immediately determine what it is you DO want, and go from there until you find the solution or the answer you are looking for.