Don’t worry, that’s not a typo. We went to an amusement park with some family. It rained the entire time. It would slow down, then pick up, then slow down again. We were able to play games, and even get the kids on some rides. A good portion of the time was spent under the pavilion The kids had fun jumping in puddles. My cousin had a great joke and comment about the situation. He said we could try the new ride called, Table Hopping Under The Pavilions!
So many times in our lives we see the rain and believe its pouring. We have made or problems larger than they seem. There are so many things going on that we feel we cannot get control of. We lose focus, lose our energy, get tired, and become stressed out. We ultimately get more frustrated, depressed, and then give up. Time to throw in the towel! Waive the white flag! If we stopped for a minute and regained focused, we would realize that things are not as bad as they seem. Instead of seeing the rain, we see the downpour!
Why do we do this??? One of the biggest reasons is because we have the ability to make excuses. We create an “opt out” for not doing well. We can blame it on the fact that we are tired, just too busy, we have other important things, or it’s too much work to do. My favorite is, “it’s pouring outside, and we should stay put.” I have used that one many times over! How many times have you had a task or project at work that was given to you in advance, and you started working on it a day or two before it was due to your boss? As humans, it’s much easier to procrastinate. And we create the most amazing excuses to not do something. We literally pour the excuses on top of one another. Another reason for doing this is because we thrive on drama. We love drama. Just count the number of reality shows you watched this week! We love the “fight or flight” mode that occurs. When we are in a stressful situation produces hormones and chemicals that amp us up to perform. In essence, we create the extra stress as a cheat! One of my favorite reasons for seeing the downpour is avoidance. We avoid things because of fear. Fear of failure and yes, even fear of success. We make things harder and difficult than they really are. We make up stories and excuses (there is that word again!) to not do the things we need to do.
So how do we get out of the mindset of our problems being larger than they are and see more rain instead of the downpour?
Stop and Observe- It’s Just Rain
Things are not as bad as they seem. When we were looking at the rain, it looked worse but up close, it appeared heavy because it was falling off the roof of the pavilion. You have to become more aware of your actions, motives, and choices. Analyze where you are making things harder than they really are. Once you see that, it gives you clarity and you can implement changes quickly. It’s your choice to see just the rain or the downpour.
Enjoy The Rain
Attitude is everything when faced with adversity. You cannot be successful with the right mindset and state of mind. It’s not about saying, “rain rain go away come again another day.” Successful people enjoy their problems and think of them as a way to solve something. Think of your problems as a way to make you stronger. Don’t just solve the problem, make it work for you.
Take Massive Action And Jump In The Puddle
Kids have it right. No fear. They love puddles and just jump right in. As adults, what do we do? We yell at our kids for jumping in the puddle and getting soaked. We are afraid they might get sick and don’t want to have to deal with changing their clothes. When was the last time we enjoyed the rain? What if you jumped right in the puddle and took massive action without any reservations?
All problems typically start out small. We just make them larger than they really are. Be grateful for your problems. They really are helping you become stronger. So remember, when it is pouring, it is also raining! And even that rain may be just mist or a few rain drops.
Thanks cousin Chris Corey for the inspiration on this story.
