By Richard Crown, Dumb Little Man, Nov. 16, 2012
I lost the use of my arms in a traffic accident.
No one could understand why I laughed my way through surgeries and convalescence.
How about you?
Have you experienced any of life’s difficulties?
Has job loss, divorce or losing a home happened to you?
I’ve experienced all of the above.
Through those experiences, I’ve learned 4 easy steps to help me get through the mental anguish and emotional fall out accompanying life’s inevitable troubles.
First step is to let go. Let go of the past. It’s gone already. Trying to hang on to, or recreate, the past only prolongs pain for all involved.
After my accident, I felt like my old way of life had been wiped away completely. It was pretty obvious that, without arms, I would never again be able to wrestle a 200 pound halibut on to a fishing boat.
I was free to create a new life. I was laughing in the hospital because I was so free.
Second step is to take stock. Take a good hard look at what you’ve got left. It may be far more than you think.
I had a lot of time to think about my situation as I lay in a hospital bed waiting for enough bones to mend so that I could walk again.
I still had a good brain. I still had the love and support of my family. I also had a wealth of government programs to help me.
Third step is to find passion. Determine what you’re passionate about doing, taking into consideration the resources you’ve already identified in step two.
I decided I wanted to write more than anything else. But my California State Department of Rehabilitation counselor didn’t think writing was a viable occupation. Especially for a man without arms. He insisted on a small business management program at university.
Fourth step is to persevere. Perseverance turns dreams into reality. Stick with your passion. Let it inspire you through the hard work to come. Remember, it’s doing the work that actually transforms you.
I’m glad my counselor guided me into learning small business management, but I didn’t give up on my passionate dream. I just took his program and every writing class offered too.
Today, I’ve tapped out over a million words using a chopstick gripped firmly between my teeth. I run a website and blog and have several books published on Amazon.
My website started making money as soon as I put it up because my small business skills enabled me to create the right marketing mix for the content that my writing skills created.
I blended my passion with practicality and persevered.
Take time to go through the 4 simple steps above whenever you feel like life sucks. They may change your point of view and send your life down a whole new, passionately inspired track.
If you’ve lost your job, maybe it’s a golden opportunity to make a long desired career change. Or to take a long vacation.
If divorce has come to your marriage, maybe it’s time to spend a little time alone. Or to find your true soul mate.
If you’ve lost your home, maybe your aging parents need you to move back in. Or to go live in Hawaii.
Whatever you do, don’t forget to find laughter. Laughter dispels all the darkness that covers the opportunities. Laughter creates room for you to grow tall again and have some fun doing it.
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