How to Solve a Stressful Problem Fast and Easy by Not Trying to Solve It
When a daunting problem hits us, we feel a wave of stress, then our minds struggle to hunt for a solution, trying this then that, fumbling and unable to decide.
The reason we struggle isn’t because the problem is actually difficult, but because we’re looking in the wrong place. The solution isn’t in the surface mind, which tries to piece things together logically. It’s in the intuitive mind.
To tap into intuition, let the negative energy blocking the answer be released.
The other day, I woke up and realized I’d left my glasses in my son’s room. I didn’t want to enter and risk waking him. I couldn’t find my backup glasses and got upset. I treasure my morning side project time—writing this piece, for example—and not having my glasses meant I couldn’t work.
In my unconscious mind, side project success equated to freedom and happiness. No glasses meant no happiness in the future, which fueled my present upset.
In hindsight, this sounds ridiculous, but in that moment, it felt real.
Luckily, I knew better; it wasn’t my first time facing this. Instead of searching frantically, I started my morning mindfulness meditation.
I brought up the negative thoughts—like no glasses equaling side project failure, and success meaning happiness. I observed them, acknowledging they’re just limited perceptions.
I noticed the feelings in my body tied to those thoughts, mainly in my throat. I let go of the urge to control them, simply being with them.
I continued my mindfulness practice, focusing on breath and the gray darkness behind closed eyes. When negative thoughts resurfaced, I returned to my practice.
After meditation, I felt a subtle nudge to check a drawer I’d searched before.
Unsurprisingly, I found the glasses, deeper in the drawer.
The first time, stress made me search too quickly, so I searched too shallowly and didn’t find them.
The method is simple: Don’t chase the answer. Identify the feelings tied to the problem’s thoughts. Surrender those feelings by being with them unconditionally, letting their energy release.
When the negative energy fades, the answer naturally pops into your conscious mind.
I like how you emphasized on just being with the feelings instead of trying to fix everything right away. That subtle shift in energy makes all the difference difference.