Most of us are addicted to panic i.e. a reaction to any (or many) problem(s) in our life.

Do you often find yourself caught in the grips of panic when faced with life's challenges? You're not alone. This is a recurring theme in most us that the first response to a lot of events in life (a.k.a. problems) is PANIC or knee-jerk reaction, defensiveness or aggression.

Some workplaces and households thrive on panic and the ensuing heroes (those who thrive in panic) who come to the rescue. Unfortunately, panic-resolution is rewarded and incentivized! Very little is done to avoid the mad dash to resolve a problem. Most of the times, the problem is resolved and it brings a proportionately sized relief with it.

Life is just a series of problems to be solved: we like chosen problems; we hate the unchosen problems!

We are always solving problems in our life - every day mundane problems to big questions in our life.

We hate it when we encounter a problem that we did not anticipate and hence, the panic response. Although we have faced this surprise visitor (uninvited event) thousands of times in our life, yet we resort to the same reaction every time! We either anticipate problems or we don't get surprised; easier said than done.

What can be done about this?

#1 - Every problem is solvable.

We have solved surprise problems in the past and we can solve them now as well. This is an intelligent exploration of our past responses to invoke confidence now. The fact that we have this burning issue at hand right now is a testimonial that the past problems are no longer valid or active in our lives. Been there, done that!

#2 - There ARE other ways to respond.

Surprise, anxiety, fear, and panic are not the only responses. Calm, acceptance, confidence, and focus are also valid responses. We are always free to choose!

Most of the times we feel like we don't have a choice.

#3 - Problem is a function of Time or Money.

Most problems are a function of time or money.

If we don't have money, we can tackle it with time.
If we don't have time, we can throw money at the problem.
If we can't do both, it is no longer a problem - it is a constraint.

#4 - You don't have to do this alone!

We don't have to deal with all problems alone - we just need to call a friend. There is power in asking for help! It is not a sign of weakness but a privilege of living in the same society.

We either think that:

No one will help us
We should not bother anyone else
We have to do this all by ourselves

This is far from true. We are all in this together! We just have to ask for help. Below is a short video from Steve Jobs.

#5 - Write it down!

This is one of the single most effective tool to take us from the problem and put us on the path of solution. Do not underestimate the power of writing it down using a pen and paper or a whiteboard. I have personally found mind-mapping the most effective tool in my personal and professional life.

Thinking in our mind is thinking about the problem
Thinking on paper is thinking about the solution

Many times we think we are thinking about the solution but we are only munching on the problem (its causes, its potential avoidance, and who to blame for this). When in doubt, write it down!

#6 - It’s not the end of the world.

One problem - that big thing in our life is never an end of the world: even though it might feel like that. It rarely is. This is not to minimize how one is feeling but to recognize the expanse and possibility of our life experiences.

New problems are here to make us grow
Repeated problems are here to teach us what we are missing
Most problems can be avoided by good planning! You will be surprised how many panic-problems could be avoided by taking notes, setting reminders, keeping track of things. (This one point requires an entire newsletter. More on this soon!)

This is a simple framework that gives us the capability to tackle most daily problems in our life. If you have something that helps you in your life and is not included above, please don't hesitate to share it with me.

For Clarity, Congruence, and Harmony!

Mitesh

Checkout my short contemplation: "Clarity = Congruence + Courage" on YouTube or Insight Timer

P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:

#1: Ready to master your life through my Life Mastery Program? >>> Click here to apply for your clarity call

#2: Would you like to attend a 2.5 day workshop on Clarity and Contemplations? This is a great opportunity to reset aspects of life.

#3: Need personal guidance? Work with me 1:1 to navigate through something burning in your life.

#4: Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn for more tips and tricks.

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Mitesh Oswal

Are you addicted to panic? ⚠️⚠️⚠️