Tag: coping

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.

Today’s tip is to look back at the progress you’ve made at some goal or task.

This was a surprise for me. It was something that just happened a few weeks ago.

I’ve been practicing yoga for a decade or so. In that time, I’ve been listening to instructors call for knee-to-nose for years, never really thinking I could do it. I usually round my back and bring my knee in, but it’s never close to my nose.

In fact, for years, I would squeeze my abs, but not really try or think I could touch my nose.

Recently I made an effort and was surprised to feel my knee touch my nose. Just a light touch, but it was surprising.

An amazing piece of progress that made me smile the rest of class and most of the day.

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.

Today’s tip is to be willing to ask for help when you need it.

I struggle with this. I rarely ask for help, but when I added this tip to the list a month ago, I started to think about this on a more regular basis. I still don’t do this enough, but I got better.

I was busy at work and asked someone else to handle something for me. In the past, I’d work longer hours and find a way to just handle the stress and workload. Thanks to my co-worker for helping out.

I was putting in some fence recently and took a few minutes to ask a kid to help with the work. Again, I usually just work harder on my own.

Same day, actually was tired (fencing in 90F/30C is hard) and asked another kid to cook dinner. They handled it.

Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, but it’s also not my default action, even when I need it. I’m learning to be better.

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.

Today’s tip is to adopt a growth mindset. Change “I can’t” into “I can’t yet”.

I don’t say “I can’t” very often. I have not accepted my children saying it, and I don’t like hearing it from the kids I coach.

That being said, I have felt at times that I can’t do something. Something breaks at SQL Server Central or SQL Saturday and I can’t fix it (or get it fixed). Kids don’t or won’t show up for practice.

One thing on my mind right now is I can’t go to Japan. I mean, I could go, but tourism is still limited. It should change soon (or maybe has by now), but I don’t want to go on a tour group. I’m also busy. I’ve had 10 or 11 trips this year with 10 more coming, so I don’t have a place to add in another trip without creating stress.

So I can’t go to Japan.

Yet.

I’ll plan on going next year or the following one with the family.

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.

Today’s tip is to take a small step to overcome a problem or worry.

I have lots of projects and tasks. I have lots of things that I need to handle and keep going in life. Some are work items, some personal, some family oriented, some for friends.

One problem I’ve had this spring and summer is keeping up with some maintenance and improvement around the ranch. I’ve had too much travel and then surgery get in the way of things. During one trip, my son called to say that a leaf spring on our hay trailer had broken. I couldn’t do much remotely, so I had him take a picture and then measure the working side.

Small step 1: I looked around online while in the airport and found one for sale and ordered it. Fingers crossed.

Small step 2: I went out to look at the trailer the next week when I was home (and healthy). I found the spring broken. You can see the edge of it below.

Not much to be done that day, but I balanced out the lifted trailer with jack stands on each side so the frame didn’t warp.

Small step 3: I went out and start to remove the old spring nuts and bolts. I got the axel attachment off, but the bolt holding the old spring to the frame wouldn’t move. I tried pulling on it, banging on the wrench, and spraying Liquid Wrench on the bolt. Eventually I got tired, frustrated, and went to get a drink.

I wrote this a few days ago, and that was when I took this small step.

Small step 4: I went and got some more liquid wrench and sprayed it on. That’s it.

Big step 5: The next day I went out and used a breaker bar and got the bolt to turn. I was able to get it out and my daughter helped me fit the new leaf spring on and tighten all the bolts.

It wasn’t as satisfying to take days to get this fixed, but some patience and a few small steps worked out well.