I’m sitting at my laptop with a hot mug of Earl Grey tea.
The sun streams through the window. I can feel the heat on the back of my head.
The fish tank gurgles as I rack my brains for a topic for today's
email.
But as I chew things over, nothing strikes me as worthy of a couple of hundred words of your still sleepy author’s typing. And your valuable reading time.
I gulp.
If I can’t come up with an idea, I won’t be writing an email today.
And if there’s one thing I want to get done each day – and one thing only – it’s my email.
So this could be a problem.
A big problem.
But as I ponder, it starts to dawn on me…
A problem is
only a problem if I think of it as a problem. It's only a problem if I add meaning to a situation and cast that meaning as “problematic”.
And by golly gosh…
I’ve just realised. I’ve fallen into this
trap!
I’m thinking of my lack of email inspiration as a problem. As I type these words.
And as I ponder some more, I realise…
This isn’t a problem. This is an OPPORTUNITY.
An opportunity to remind you that there can be immense power in shifting the way we sometimes think about problems.
And that we can always look for opportunity, even
if we think we have a problem.
It might be an opportunity to learn and grow…
It might be an opportunity to experience something new or different…
Or it might be an opportunity to share with others.
Just like this email. My problem has turned into an opportunity to write an email about how problems are really just opportunities in disguise.
Gotta love that.
One of my all-time favourite quotes is from Matisse:
There are always flowers for those that want to see them
I think that sums it up nicely.
Catch you tomorrow.
- Tom
p.s. here's another opportunity:
On Monday, I’m re-opening the doors to my time management challenge.
This short challenge will take place over email. No Zoom calls. No video recordings. Just email. Nice and simple.
The challenge covers areas like procrastination, energy, boundaries, distractions and identity.
And it's all designed to help you to manage your time more effectively. Without spending lots of time in the process!
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, keep your eyes peeled over the next few days for more details.