June- Week 2 - Problem Solving

“Whatever failures I have known, whatever errors I have committed, whatever follies I have witnessed in public and private life, have been the consequences of action without thought.”

— Bernard Baruch. American financier and statesman.

Baruch’s quote returns to the same idea: the value of pausing. We often react to problems without considering the consequences for ourselves or others. Acting too quickly can lead to avoidable outcomes that do not serve us well.

Last week we explored the simple first step of awareness, taking a break from the issue. This week we explore the problem-solving process of self-reflection.

When we stay locked inside a problem, we often make it larger than it is. The mind circles the same details, rehearses the same regrets, and mistakes repetition for progress. A shift in perspective can break that pattern. Instead of asking, Why did this happen? or Why didn’t I handle it better? we might ask, What can this teach me? or What matters most now? Those questions don’t erase frustration, but they move us from self-reproach toward clarity, and that is where real problem-solving begins. Always being thoughtful and kind to yourself even when we make errors. Encouraging ourselves to take the opportunity to start over.