Challenges vs Resources

In the program, Restore, one of the sections focuses on changing your story from scarcity to abundance.  The brief summary is that we get overwhelmed, not primarily due to the presence of challenges, but because we feel that we lack resources (scarcity) to deal with those challenges. 

However, as we accumulate various tools, we can reframe the dynamic to remind ourselves that though specific scenarios were problematic in the past, we now have tools (abundance) for addressing the situations differently. Therefore, we don't need to live paralyzed by fear of encountering these challenges again.

This really resonated with me, and led me to realize my avoidance-of-challenges tendencies is not solely because problems are unpleasant (though by definition, I generally don't like to choose the unpleasant) but at the core is the fear that I don't personally have access to the necessary resources to face the challenge.

My experience working at a hospital reminds me of this dynamic. The general patient load for the unit was often not the primary indicator for how busy or challenging the day would be.  Instead, the staffing resources (ratio of staff to patients (bonus if we had experienced staff)) was the core indicator.  

There were days that by patient numbers looked like the day should be relatively lowkey--until I saw that we were short-staffed.  And days that looked they would be hectic--but actually ran smoothly due to the amount and experience of the staff at hand that day.

Similarly, stressors happen in life.  However, our success is not based primarily on limiting the number of stressors, but on having the tools and resources we have for handling the stressors that impact our ability to deal with the challenges that come our way.  

Along with this is our perception of the tools and resources we have at our disposal to use.  (Because if you are not aware of the tool (or how to use it), it is significantly less impactful in helping in the midst of challenge.)

Therefore, taking a new inventory of both internal and external resources in making my assessment is a necessary task that I am now embarking on undertaking.