Overcoming Obstacles:

    There is one inescapable fact when it comes to our journeys towards our dreams and the life we want in this world and that is that there will be obstacles. Everyone has them and some are big while other are small, but the process to overcoming those obstacles is the same no matter the size or complexity. Today I wanted to share four keys points on how to overcome any obstacle the world throws at us so that we can keep moving along our path to our dream tomorrow, instead of letting that obstacle drive us off our path.

    Step 1, stop the self pity. The obstacle you are facing may seem like something massive, but when it comes right down to it, it isn’t. There are people around you in your life that are battling far weightier things, things that have a much most lasting impact that what we are facing. As such, taking the time and effort to lament our woes and pity ourselves for the obstacles we face is just a waste of energy. That energy can be better spent actually doing something rather than wallowing in our own self imposed woe. The first thing to do when we encounter an obstacle is to realize that it will fade into the past and only has the impact on us that we allow it.

    Step 2, work within your circle of influence. There are going to be all kinds of things in our lives that cause of stress of distress and most of the time they are doing so because we are worrying about things that are not within our circle of influence. Unless we are on the presidential cabinet, we can’t define if our country is at war, so why are we wasting time stressing and worrying about that fact? That fact is not within our sphere of influence. We need to learn to let the weight of all those things that are not within our sphere of influence fall by the road side. Instead, we should focus on what is in our sphere of influence. When we do, we find that we are actually doing something about the stresses and obstacles in our lives rather than letting ourselves feel powerless and impotent. In the above example, we can work with petitions and go out and vote things within our sphere of influence while still working on the greater problem we see. This will eliminate many of those perceived obstacles in our lives as we will act on those within our influence and just let any other fall away.

    Step 3, ask for help. There are people in our lives that can assist us with the obstacles in our lives and they will be happy to help since they care about us. It also makes them feel good when we come to them for help. This is a method to expand our sphere of influence so that take actions in concerns to obstacles that we might not have been able to effect to begin with.

    Step 4, keep moving. The fact is that obstacles will happen, but life goes on and everything fades into the past at some point. Take a minute to think about an obstacle that felt world ending to you 20 years ago. How much does that really affect your date to day life now? Sometime it does, but most of time those dire situations are just a memory in the rearview of our lives. We need to keep moving and not let the obstacles in our lives stop us from living our lives. There are only two ways to truly be defeated by something in our lives, we can give up or we can die. If we don’t give up and it doesn’t kill us, then we keep living and keep moving.

    Everyone will have obstacles in their lives, but keeping these four steps in mind will mean that we keep living our lives and reduce the stress these obstacles can exert on us. Keep walking the road to your dreams and realize that there will be road blocks to overcome and don’t let them stop you in your journey.