Looking. Photo credit: www.viviphotography.net
Funny, how what we teach can very quickly become what we need to practice ourselves.
Last week, I told several clients: “do it different this time” as they navigated situations that were triggers for them. Instead of going to their default mode of worrying, hiding, or numbing out I asked them to become aware of their go-to responses and try something else.
Today, I need to think along those lines as I encounter obstacles and delays in multiple directions, from the printer not printing, to cleaning dog poop because the dogs decided to go inside (because it snowed), to filling in travel visa application forms that are impossible to fathom.
Over the last 5 or 6 hours I’ve observed myself talking to customer support at Canon and the guys at Cox & Kings Global Services (C & KGS), Keeping in mind how I usually behave after long wait time on the phone: irritable/impatient/anxious and trying, really trying to do it differently this time.
First, as I waited and then as I spoke to customer support with both companies, I did the following things differently:
- I relaxed my body and let go of the squeezing
- I didn’t multitask whilst on the calls
- I took my time explaining and listening to customer support personnel
- I decided to drop 3 things from my to do list (including writing this post)
- I reminded myself that if the travel visa took longer to get or that if, I didn’t get it, it would not be catastrophic.
- I breathed in and connected to my center
By the end of the calls my printer was working, but the application process had come to a standstill. I need supporting documents that I don’t seem to have.
I have taken the next step by contacting the consulate with regard to the visa and hope for a positive outcome pretty soon. As part of my do it different mindset, I will be waiting without anxiety, squeezing or impatience.
That is how I am doing it differently and it seems to be working. How about you, are there situations in which you would like to do it differently? Can you catch your default reactions in time? I would love to hear about your experiences, struggles and successes alike.