“Identify your problems but give your power and energy to solutions.” – Tony Robbins
 What’s the matter?

This is a question that we, as intuitive and caring individual, probably ask several times a day. We see individuals struggling or we sense tension in a room. We hear it in a friend’s voice or we see it in a family member’s expression. We are caring servant leaders; we are comforters.

It may seem strange, but for me this is often a personal question. Something doesn’t feel just right. I feel “off” or irritated or anxious. Many times my “what’s the matter” is often the confluence of multiple things. There are times I feel like I have reached capacity. I can manage my own internal emotions and balance all of the different “problems” to a point . . . and then it seems overwhelming. Do you ever feel this way?

We must take care of ourselves in order to effectively serve others. I am often asked, “How’s your day?” or “how are things going?” I have a default driven response “hanging in there” or maybe something like “it’s a day.” I often don’t want to bother the person asking the question with the laundry list of issues that are weighing on my mind – or the reflective energy I am taking to focus on a problem.  

I’m probably not going to “unload” on the next person who asks me “what’s the matter.” But I am going to take a moment on personal time – a moment for self-talk to identify what is truly making me feel “off” or anxious. I am then going to devote my power and energy to solutions. I am going to engage my peers – to embrace the Power of our Team – to find answers and to step up.  

Can you do the same? When you have that feeling – take a moment to think about, even write down the problems you have identified. Once you’ve identified that problem – then we can work together on support and solutions.