STEP UP TO LIFE CHALLENGES FOR A BETTER LOOK

Life challenges are all around, whether we see them, act on them, or ignore them.

Like a slow leak in a car tire, you eventually notice.

Then what?

You know people, your friends and family know people, who show no interest in life challenges. There’s a name for them. Do you remember that name? Me neither, but it doesn’t change the challenge.

Yes, it’s a challenge to get a good haircut, especially if you go to discount day at the barber college. Roll that dice and wear the results for a few month.

Expect, “Hey, you look different. Did you do something with your hair?”

Sure, it’s hard getting into the right restaurant, then making the right order. When the plate shows up and you say, “I don’t think that’s what I ordered,” you’ve got choices to make. If the waiter mentions your hair, add more.

What about the big things in life challenges, like losing weight, getting in shape, feeling younger, tan, and fit? Are those the challenges you face, or are they even bigger?

Biggest Life Challenges

Go ahead and quote me on this, just give boomerpdx a nod: The biggest challenge in our lives is keeping hope alive.

If you believe you can do something, it’s a start, not a guarantee of success. But how do you start the process?

First, assess the situation. You know what this means? If you have to assess the situation, you’ve taken a bigger bite than you can chew. You already know the situation, and maybe you’ve tried working it out before? What happened then? Did you quit?

Make an inventory, a list of problems, then make another list, of what you need to fix it.

Married people worry about divorce. Maybe not enough, but they should worry based on marriage stats, especially if they live on the Oregon coast.

Looking at you, Brookings.

Parents worry about their kids. Are we doing enough? Have we done enough? What else can we do? If you have these thoughts constantly, you might be a helicopter parent.

In most ways to deal with life challenges, I’ve found one that works better than others. During the day we can act on solving problems, making more problems, then solving those.

What Happens At Night

If your brain’s voice sounds like it’s coming from this guy, you need help.

A racing mind at night usually means a bad night’s sleep, and who wants that? I used to watch my grandparents take naps during family gatherings. Now I know why.

Here’s the sleep hack I found: With every breath in, repeat in your mind, “Breathing in.”

With every breath out, repeat, “Breathing out.”

That’s the secret, the key to a good night’s sleep? No.

The idea is to bore yourself to sleep by repetition, but thoughts still crowd in. Now what?

“Breath in,” but what about the riots, the burning, the injustice?

Acknowledge your thoughts, then say, “Breathing out,” in your mind.

Everything keeping you awake is equal, from the massive to the mundane, and all you need to do is say yes to them. Acknowledging thoughts that keep you awake gives you the power to wake up the next day with the sort of vim and vigor it takes to face life challenges.

If you tell others about this, remember to include some references to Zen and mediation and calm.

Then share your problems, talk them out. It’s always better with a well rested brain.