All Psyched Up: What to remember and do when you get stuck
By Medicine Hat News on September 21, 2018.
Corb Lund is a well-known roots/country singer-songwriter from southern Alberta In 2005 he released an album with his song “Truck Got Stuck.” I can’t help it, I just smile every time I hear it. There are so many lessons in the song lyrics which are apparently based on a true story. 1. People view things differently and perspectives change. Farmers and ranchers who live in southern Alberta usually welcome rain especially after a dry spell. Timing is important, however, and if you are planning an outdoor event, you might not like the timing. Too much rain also can alter attitudes from thankful to annoyed. 2. Things happen to us that are out of our control. Weather patterns, political change, company restructuring, births and deaths occur without our permission. 3. Schedules are affected by outside factors. We cannot guarantee that our day will go as we had planned because there are often things that interfere. Being too rigid can increase stress. 4. Blame is not helpful. Pointing the finger at others can make the situation worse and taking on blame for things that you can’t control can hurt your well-being. 5. It is important to call on others to help when we are “stuck.” 6. Things we know might not work. We can use strategies or techniques that have been successful in the past that are not helpful right now. 7. Others are affected when they get involved. In Lund’s song, some of his friends came to help and in turn, they got stuck. They changed their schedules with noble intentions only to end up in trouble also. 8. We might not get support that we expected. Not everyone is willing to be involved in our problems and we might be both surprised and disappointed because of this. 9. Creativity is important. Getting traction for the stuck vehicles came from pouring canola seed under the wheels of the vehicle. Good thinking! 10. Remember to share your experiences and the lessons learned with others. Writing a song or telling a tale can help other people to get “unstuck.” All the better if you can laugh about the problems and solutions you adopted. I used to think that life was wonderful and then would be disappointed when a problem arose. Maturity has helped me to realize that life is full of problems and we grow as we learn to solve them appropriately without getting too upset. Then, once in a while, we have an amazing problem-free day! My daughter always says, “When you are sitting in a mud puddle — everything loots like mud.” Don’t just sit there and feel upset. Call on resources to help you find creative ways to get “unstuck.” You might find out that the problem went from being a mess to actually becoming an interesting adventure! Oh, and you should watch the Corb Lund video “Truck Got Stuck.” I’m sure you will enjoy it! Dr. Linda Hancock (www.LindaHancock.com) is the author of “Life is an adventureÉevery step of the way” and “Open for Business Success” is a Registered Psychologist who has a private practice in Medicine Hat, Alberta Canada. She can be reached at 403-529-6877 or through email office@drlindahancock.com 16-15
