Overcoming obstacles has become a fun part of my life. I’ve taught myself to say: “Oh, boy–new learnings ahead.” It takes training, retraining and patience to allow myself to relax into solutions as opposed to rushing into them. All of those who have been close to me over the years have repeatedly said the same thing; “Slow down”. After 50 years, I decided to listen. Never too old to change.

1. I got part of my above title from The M.A.P. Maker from the post: “Open the door to possibility: Challenge your first no”. Curt writes:

Frequently, when I challenge people to take a second look at their initial negative assumption, they discover that it wasn’t accurate.

Maybe they are making a flawed assumption. “I can’t do that, because nobody would want to help” becomes, “Wow, I reached out and there were people who were actually delighted to help.” The assumption that nobody would want to help creates an obstacle that doesn’t actually exist.

Or maybe they are wearing their black-n-white glasses (a prescription far too many of us wear). They look at something they want to do, don’t see a clear path there, and decide that it’s impossible. “Either I can see a way to do it immediately and directly, or it can’t be done.”

If they challenge that perception, they might discover that, while they might not be able to get there in a straight easy shot, they could if they took a different approach, or took more time to get there, or reached out for help in an area that blocks them.

Challenging that initial negative assessment opens the door to possibility. Sometimes that no really is accurate. But imagine if you make it a policy to challenge your no’s and discover that 75% of the time you’re right. The answer really is no.

2. From LaRae Quy writing at “pick the brain”:  “3 Ways to Prepare for Adversity”:

Here is the ugly truth: We learn very little by being happy and content. We learn everything by being engaged with the realities of life, especially when it’s hard, confusing, and difficult.

What are the stories that motivate us? They’re the stories of people who were beaten down by circumstances and defied the odds by pulling themselves up by the bootstraps to achieve the impossible. That’s why we love old western movies and Rocky Balboa.

The best motivational speakers are those who have been in the trenches and dug down, inside themselves, to find an inner strength that they didn’t know existed. These transformations remind us that we can find our best self too—it just needs to be teased out.

The unpleasant bits of acid that reality drops into our life every now and then are exactly what we need in order for that best self to thrive. The new science of post-traumatic growth is proving that in the wake of adversity, most people not only recover, they rebound.

Former Army combat veteran J.R. Martinez embodies the built-in human capacity to flourish even in the most difficult circumstances. Wounded in Iraq and suffering from burns over more than 40 percent of his body, Martinez underwent more than 30 surgeries before beginning a new career as a motivational speaker and winning the 2011 fall season of ABC’s  “Dancing With the Stars.”

3. From Small Notebook for a simple home:  “7 Tips to Stay Motivated for House Projects”:

5. Just start.  I don’t always feel like getting started on a house project at eight o’clock at night, but sometimes that’s the only time I’ve got. It’s also hard when trying something new. I’m not always super productive, but to me, in general, getting something done and crossing it off my list is more satisfying than doing nothing or watching TV. If you think you’re going to do it before you sell the house, go ahead and do it so you will have time to enjoy the results.

6. Don’t wait for someone else. – You can do some of the work by yourself. If you’re working with a partner, you can’t wait for him or her to feel motivated at the same exact time as you. What will probably happen is you will start working, and that motivation will rub off, or else they’ll feel sorry for you looking so ridiculous trying to do it by yourself that they’ll give in and help you.

7. Set a deadline goal, but don’t get frustrated if you don’t meet your goals. Still invite your friends over, even when you haven’t finished that project; they won’t mind.

Photo credit.