First time we face something difficult – maybe we were a teenager, maybe later. Where we were when we were scared …
Might have been about money. About a job. A relationship. The ‘what it was’ isn’t what I’m driving at. It’s how we dealt with something ‘the first time’. And how we dealt with it the next time or the time after that. Experience leavens our emotions, having ‘been there before’ gave us a preview of what we would feel, what issues were in play – and the next time, we are better able to cope.
That’s good, I think.
On the other hand, ‘having been there before’, having played out that drama before – might give us a false sense of security that we can sort through, get through and thrive on that adversity, that we can turn it around because we have that experience.
Each time I sit down with a client or a friend to solve a problem I find it more and more fascinating to leverage those ‘been there before’ experiences.
Thanks for reading. I appreciate feedback, pro and con, and suggestions to help improve this column and this website are always welcomed - usually published the following day under COMMENTS RECEIVED.
