How to Deal with Issues (and Shoveling Snow!)

Here in Maryland, we just got trampled by a snowstorm. I just got finished shoveling my sidewalk and surrounding area, and it looks awesome! (If I do say so myself) As I am finishing my hot chocolate and relish at the awesomeness which is a completed sidewalk (if I do say so myself), I wanted to share my thoughts of shoveling and in true Life Coach fashion, how they relate to dealing with issues.

1.  Be prepared! SHOVELING.IS.WAR! It is man versus Mother Nature! When it is time to shovel, it is best to have your equipment ready—salt, shovels, cups of hot chocolate- make sure that when you are ready to work, you are ready to work.
2. Map it out! Sometimes, mapping out what you need to do can be pretty easy; for instance, I started with the porch and the steps, down the walkway, and removed the snow off of the cars. Other things, however, may require a little more patience and planning. Remember the adage, “poor planning leads to poor performance”? It is true.
3. Deal with issues, before they deal with you! Today, there was a lot of snow, and later tonight, it will be more snow, this time, it will be mixed with rain, causing a slush and ice mixture. If I had waited until tomorrow to deal with the snow that was outside now, I would have had a worse time trying to deal with not only heavy snow, but ice.It is better to deal with issues that are emerging now, then to wait and it proves to be more difficult to deal with.
4. Get some help! It was great to see neighborhood kids capitalizing on the snow, offering to shovel sidewalks, and get cars out of their wintery prison. If you need help with completing goals, utilize your resources! Get friends, or professional help. You don’t have to tackle issue alone. 
5. Heal! Right now, I don’t feel any pain, and I am feeling pretty good. I may feel some aches and pains tomorrow. Make sure that when you deal with your issue, you take some time to heal. Taking the time for you charges those proverbial batteries that we rely on.
6. Reflect! It felt good to finish shoveling. Even as I was shoveling, I still took time to have a little fun and throw snowballs at my son. When you deal with an issue, take time and give yourself credit for the hard work you put in. You deserve it!

As always, thank you for reading.

Garry

P.S. If you are in an area where there is snow, throw a snowball, do a snow angel, grab a sleigh, and smile.