How to Deal with Adversity: What Can You Do?If I could only pick one thing to teach someone about learning a foreign language and living in another country... Or for that matter...
How to deal with adversity of any kind anywhere... It would be to focus on what you can do... When I moved to the intersection of France, Germany and Switzerland, all I ever noticed was what I couldn't do, couldn't find, couldn't get, couldn't say, and couldn't have. In fact, I think I made a pretty extensive catalog of what can't be done where I live. I was very thorough... I really doubt there's much of anything missing on my list. But then I never do anything half way regardless of whether it hurts me or helps me... Like I've said earlier, I did EVERYTHING that you could do to drive yourself crazy when I first arrived in France. It's not the best strategy in how to deal with adversity... So unless you want to go crazy, throw away your list of everything you can't do wherever you are. I know you've got one... I had one before I moved to France... It just wasn't as long as the one I made after I moved to France. Yours may not be as thorough or as long as mine, but I know you have one. Instead make a list of what you can do. I know...I know...you're REALLY good at making the other list, but if you practice making a list of what you can do, you will get better at it too. After awhile you'll be surprised at how many things you can do right where you are. And it won't drive you crazy! You might even start to appreciate everything you can do. One of my favorite quotes on what you can do is from a guy named W. Mitchell. He's a motivational speaker, but he's not your typical motivational speaker... He's survived a fiery motorcycle crash and a plane crash, so he can't walk, he doesn't really have hands, his face is pretty deformed and most of his body has burn scars. That in itself isn't particularly inspiring, but this quote is... "Before I was paralyzed there were 10,000 things I could do. Now there are 9,000. I can either dwell on the 1,000 I've lost or focus on the 9,000 I have left." So start working on your list of 9000 things.... And start to notice how much you have and can do right now... And while we're on the subject of How to Deal with Adversity... Or just read what everyone else has said.. Or you can introduce yourself to the Thought Detective community! Looking forward to hearing from you! Suzanne Go from "How to Deal with Adversity: What Can You Do?" to The Culture Shock Guide articles Go to Changing Perspectives articles Go to the Thought Detective home page
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