Be Careful What You Wish For
The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem.
Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean
Can you imagine life without a single problem?
Everything goes exactly as planned.
Nothing breaks down.
Perpetual serenity without a hint of disappointment.
There’s a term for such a state : death.
When life stops having problems it stops being life.
Some believe that love makes the world go ’round.
What if problems make the world go ’round?
If there is no problem, there is nothing to solve, nothing to figure out, nothing to do.
Without problems, there would be no inventions.
Without constraints, there would be no creativity.
Without difficulty, there would be no accomplishments.
When ships were powered by wind alone, sailors had a term for perfectly tranquil seas: “the doldrums.”
Not only would this lead to boredom, but it could also lead to death if the food and water ran out.
The problem is not the problem.
Every attempt to create a utopia has failed, usually ending in tragedy.
The problem is our attitude about problems.
Problems are not a disruption in our lives.
Instead, they are the raw materials from which we construct our lives.
We can confront those problems with courage, confidence, and curiosity.
We have the resources we need to survive and to thrive.
We feel isolated and forsaken.
Our problems feel more severe because they are our problems.
Yet we might tell ourselves that we should just get up, dust ourselves off, and get on with our lives.
Life doesn’t begin when we’ve solved our problems. Life begins now in the midst of all our problems.
Today we will face new problems and continue to struggle with familiar problems.
We don’t need to be surprised or discouraged.
We can’t avoid all problems, but we can choose our reactions to those problems.
We’ve got this!
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