1). I Insist on applying the First Solution whenever I’m out with co-workers or school friends on the weekends. We may have a project we’re working on together, but fun time is our time. Leave work talk at work, and likewise, leave school talk at school.
The Second Solution is an argument for having a “playful” mindset. “How we think about matter affects the way we perceive the events we experience.” I see this as being all about your attitude and how it can effect the outcome of a situation.
Here’s an example:
Last summer I spent a week in New Zealand. My arrival happened to coincide with a severe and unexpected snow storm, causing much frustration and overnight power outages. When I arrived at my hotel, the concierge informed me that a paperwork error had cost me my reservation. Due to the power outage, he couldn’t even access his computer system to find me another room.
In keeping this “playful mindset”, I chose to see my predicament as being funny. I knew this would make for a great story once I got home. I trusted they weren't going to have me sleep in the snow, knowing that the situation would work itself out somehow. It did, and I wound up in a better room than I had originally booked (free of charge).
-Ben
Wow! I must say you are really cool! Your composed outlook about handling the whole situation in a snowstorm and that too in a new country is really commendable. Because you did not overreact you ended up in getting a better room than expected. You know sometimes when we stress out on simple issues, unknowingly we just complicate them. The way you showed your understanding to the hotel staff, made them empathize with you and help you in the best possible way they could.
ReplyDeleteIt is a great lesson for all the explorers out there, who travel around the world and encounter such unexpected situations. Your experience teaches all of us to take it easy and think about a solution rather than creating a conflict in an unpredictable event. Good job!