Wednesday, May 03, 2006

All real problems are little problems

"Real difficulties can be overcome, it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable."
- Theodore N. Vail

Our imaginations create problems that are, in effect, little fears.

These cannot be overcome primarily because they are neither rational nor substantial. Since we are not afraid of an existing situation--only one that might potentially happen--we do not have the personal tools or skills to overcome something that doesn't exist.

Fears, even at this level, are not rational. No one can explain his or her fears to another in a way that the other would accept as worthy.

If what we created in our minds is a fear which has no substance and will not likely happen, then acceptance of what we have done is part of the cure. When we accept that our feared future situation will not likely take place--they seldom do--then we can wrap our minds around the possibility to ridding ourselves of the fear.

Getting rid of a fear is a bit like flushing a toilet: you know what you flushed away is still around somewhere, but you don't know where and at least it's gone from your present.

All real problems are little problems. They become big problems only when we do nothing about them or when we create fears of a tragic future because of what they may become.

Little problems can be managed by tackling them one small step at a time. The important things for us to remember is that they are not worth fearing and that we will get past them.

Bill Allin
'Turning It Around: Causes and Cures for Today's Epidemic Social Problems,' striving to show that feared problems are manageable when we examine them up close.
Learn more at http://billallin.com/cgi/index.pl

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