I’m Done Having Meltdowns At The Dealership!
Welcome back, I'm happy you're here.
I don't know about you, but I hate car problems. It ignites the part of me that hates feeling helpless. Years ago, if something was wrong with my car, I'd turn into a child wanting to throw a tantrum. That part of me that always needed to be in control.
I did have a mild meltdown once. I paid a crap ton of money to fix my Jetta, drove away from the dealership and I experienced the same problem they claimed to have fixed. I drove right back in tears.
Fast forward to Saturday night, on my way out to meet a friend. I grabbed my keys, got in my car and pressed the power button. (Turning the ignition sounds more fun, but those days for me are gone.) The power button worked, in that it turned something on, but not the part of the car that can drive. All the lights on my dash were flashing.
I sat in my car for a second, trying to figure out how to turn all the lights off and then called my friend. “Hi, my car won't start, any chance you can come pick me up?”
There were no big emotions (tantrum/meltdown), no feelings of helplessness, no feelings of having zero control. I'm not saying any of those options are “bad.” I know for myself, they weren't necessary or beneficial if I wanted to keep my plans.
This moment/situation offered me insights into how much I've shifted over the years.
I didn't make the car problems personal.
I chose how I wanted to respond to the situation.
I felt comfortable asking for a ride (instead of avoiding being a burden and grabbing an Uber.)
When I stick to the facts, it helps me stay neutral. ie- My car won't start. Ok, how can I problem solve. I was bummed and didn't let it ruin my night.
I didn't feel guilty asking for a ride home. (She could have said no and I was prepared for that.)
I've been anticipating my hybrid battery dying for years. Is it ever a good time for it to die, no. And… I'm beyond grateful it happened when I was home and not late at night, alone in an empty parking lot. I'm grateful I can borrow my moms car, so I don't feel rushed to fix mine.
Whether it's releasing the need for control or wanting to be a “better” person, it's hard to see the progress we're making. We plant a seed and hope for ripe, cherry tomatoes the next morning. It can be frustrating when it feels like all our efforts are for nothing. It's opportunities like this, where we can see a shift in how we show up. We can compare this experience to past experiences and acknowledge all our hard work is paying off.
I don't know about you, but I love tangible results.
This feels like a tangible result.
I like to see that my hard work is, well, working.
I've found myself coming back to my word for the year 'inner peace.', countless times. How can I bring inner peace to this situation? Did you pick a word? I'd love to hear what you settled on.
My invitation for you:
Bring to mind a time where something
didn’t go your way:
How did you react?
How do you wish you had reacted?
Did you let that occurrence ruin your day or were you able to problem solve and continue on?
I created a free worksheet to help people figure out their core values and how to apply them in their every day life.
My friend, are you ready to release your need for control?
Are you ready to see that life is working for you and not against you?
Are you ready to experience your version of inner peace?
Are you ready to be kinder and loving to yourself (being Valentine's Day and all.)
Do you want inner peace and freedom?
Do you want support in applying your core values to your days?
Let me be your guide.
Schedule time to connect with me here.
Bring all your questions and curiosities to the call, it's free.
Thanks for reading! I look forward to seeing you next time.
With so much gratitude,
For the sweet story behind this plant, you can watch this quick video.
Artist- Marta Solaz