Doesn’t that sound logical?

But how often to we put gargantuan, struggling effort into the things we know, deep down, we either hate to do or have no patience with or feel incapable of,  with every attempt?

For me, it’s computers.  Oh, and cellphones.  And VCR’s.  All of these things confound the daylights out of me.  Today, for example, my cellphone is in lockdown—somewhere.  It’s in my hand but it is clearly, sticking it’s tongue out at me.  I cannot call out or receive any calls.  However, I have just taken the most  fabulously detailed photo of my thumb. 

After the phone/thumb thing, I switched back to my computer.  Here, I believed a website telling me it could “Schedule an Appointment” online.  They lied. My cards and my passwords and my numbers just don’t add up to their satisfaction.  You know, I am thinking of making my joy with technology complete, by dialing any  800/customer service number posted for one of these gizmos—perhaps, I might speak with a delightful person from the land of SlumDog Millionaire.  But, Uh-Oh, that’s right, I cannot call out to ANYONE.

It’s definitely a “POOTER” day—–a technical term I coined for my very own self in an attempt to evoke a chuckle.

O.K.—so where’s the lesson?  Every frustration is laden with bingo’s if we chose to find them.  I know this to be absolutely true, 100% of the time, so here goes:

1.  Remind yourself—there are people who LOVE to do, what you hate to do.  Try saying to yourself—-”I will not use this moment/hour/day to render myself a useless idiot.”  Otherwise, that thought pattern is the slippery slope to buying in—to helplessness and all the other negative things—-we really cannot do anything about. 

Finding someone who loves to do what THEY love to do—is the freeway to joy.  They love sharing their expertise and you are so relieved and thrilled to find someone who knows, in seconds, what they are talking about.  So, I emailed the person who helped me put this blog together.  She knows everything there is to know about computers.  She can even tell me what is happening on my screen without looking at it!

2.  Then, Ask for help.   Asking for help is not a weakness—-it honors those who are in a position to help—-and, it gets us where we need to be.  Period.  Where did the feeling that I was supposed to KNOW EVERYTHING, DO EVERYTHING and DO IT BY MYSELF (and be happy about it) come from?  All I know is that when I began to feel comfortble reaching out and asking for what I could not or did not want to do, my whole body relaxed.  My world expanded to include some of the most talented, compassionate, knowledgeable people who enrich my life on so many levels.

3.  Keep your eye on the prize.  How easy is it to let frustrations get in the way of  THE THING  we want to accomplish or understand?  How often, do we say “Oh Well”, and throw in the towel?  How many towels are in the hamper of dreams?   Don’t cave in……go to #4.

4.  Time Out. Gut Check.  And, here’s one of the best upsides of frustration.  We get to stop and ask ourselves if what we are doing, who we are doing it with or the goals we have set for ourselves—-are really the right thing for us.  The feelings are there for a reason.  They are feeding us a signal—a stop sign—-that gives us a chance to check in with our own internal “customer service department” and see if what we are doing and where we are headed will ultimately,  bring us more joy, or peace, or self-expression, or comfort.   If the answer is “Yes”, then refer to #2.