Groundhog Holes VS. Mountains

I was talking to a client the other day who was feeling overwhelmed. Job stress was killing him and his relationships. He was snapping at home and feeling helpless at work. And, let me tell you this is very unlike him, he's a real go-getter and successful person most of the time. But we all have these moments don't we?

As I was listening to the situations he was describing and he and I were exploring each and coming up with positive action steps to remedy them, the following illustration came to me.

I encouraged him to look at each situation as isolated, for now, and let's thoroughly discuss it. I suggested this because he was feeling overwhelmed by it all but when you parsed apart "it all" it was smaller bite-size issues, elements and situations that could be managed.

It's like identifying the groundhog holes and then filling them in. You have to find them, and hopefully not step in one or its like a trap that can be very dangerous, and then start to fill them in. It may take time to do so but you can do it. Conversely, if you allow your troubles to pile on top of one another you create a mountain that seems impossible to climb. You have allowed the smaller bite-size elements, people, things to collect and build. Look at it differently. Give yourself a chance to dissect the situation and attack it one by one. Resolve it one by one. You'll certainly see patterns and themes that you must take responsibility for but you will be able to combat each one and likely learn how to spot it when it comes around again.

Groundhog holes may be deep but you only fall so far into one. The keys are seeing them first. Then, finding filler. Filler can be gaining control of your own reaction, asking for support, learning to communicate more effectively with the other party, allowing yourself to be honest and even vulnerable to learning something new, acknowledging your responsibility in creating the hole.... it can be anything but you will have an opportunity to identify the filler and then begin filling it in with your possible resolutions to the problem. You may find your filler for one works for the next. Or, you may need a new one for the next but you'll still be able to manage it if you take it one hole at a time.

Mountains are hard to climb. They are even harder to crest. Not impossible mind you but hard. Why let them build and grow thus creating a hard time for yourself (and those around you)?

Leave the mountain climbing to those who love it. You work on your groundhog holes.