Tag: reach out and take action

Bridging Our Gaps

We have a lot of trouble right now, and in large part, it is caused by the gaps we have in communication and understanding of others. And sometimes in not really understanding ourselves. Until we minimize these gaps, our problems will not get much better.

The problem is a plague upon us all. You cannot point at one person, group, or even one incident. It is up to each person to find their own way to work with the rest of humanity to better understand each other. Until each person takes a step forward, the problem remains.

The good news is that we can do this. It will not look uniform, and it will not be evenly spaced, yet it can happen. It will be small at first, and then just like baby steps, it will grow.

There may be doubters and naysayers. If we do not pay them the attention they want, their noise will slowly fade and, hopefully, come to see this as something good. At this point, our gaps will shrink, and our understanding shall grow.

Working Out the Kinks

We all have times when something starts to hurt or fail to work.  Maybe the coffee pot goes on the fritz and does not put out enough coffee at a warm enough temperature.  It could be the car that is making a rattling sound every time you turn a corner. Possibly it is the back and abs that hurt after a fitful night’s unrest in bed. Whatever it is, you have two choices: accept it as the way things are or get curious and start asking questions until you understand enough to do something about it.

I lead with acceptance because that is where most people start.  Annoyance and acceptance.  Everything is just getting older.  Give it more time to warm up.  You just have to accept you are not a spring chicken.  It starts to sound like you are just giving up. 

After you work your way through the thorns and excuses, many will turn to option two and start to ask questions.  How long have we had this machine? Exactly what is making that sound, and will it fall off in traffic?  Why am I hurting, and can it be cured?  Now you are looking at fixes rather than mere acceptance.

I would recommend that we should all (yes, I am as guilty as the next person) swap the two choices. Get inquisitive first and hold off on acceptance as a very last resort.  We are going to end up curious anyway, and finding things out sooner than later can save money and frustration.  If a fix is possible, getting it done early-on will keep the problems from deteriorating further and costing more.  If the item has failed, go find a sale or get something that really makes you happy.

When these types of problems come along, and they usually will at some point, you can be complacent and miserable, or you can reach out and take action.  The latter will generally make you feel better.

Thank you for being with me today.  I hope to be with you again tomorrow.