The More We Limit Ourselves, the More Resourceful We Become

Life does not always hand us solutions to go with the problems we encounter. If you are in a pinch, whether you are at work or in a social setting, sometimes all you need is a bit of creativity to get through it. Being resourceful means solving problems with what you have and doing more with less. We live in an insatiable society. We always want more – a bigger house, a nice car, work that pays more, the most beautiful life partner. While striving for achievement is definitely a good thing, we simply can’t draw the line and eventually feel happy with what we have. Setting limits and healthy boundaries could actually improve the quality of life you lead. In our young life, we tend to maintain lots of friendships and acquaintances. Being surrounded by people makes us feel fulfilled. With the passage of time, however, you will probably reach the conclusion that a few close friendships are much more valuable than having lots of people in your life. So surround yourself by people who share similar attitudes towards life and goals. These are the people that will stimulate you, support you and help you grow as an individual. Toxic relationships should be ended as soon as possible because of the detrimental effect they can have on your wellbeing.
Make yourself more resourceful: Use things in unconventional ways or go against conventional wisdom or societal norms, if it will help. Be prepared to take responsibility, redress wrongs or explain yourself if you do overstep your bounds. Rules exist for a reason, but sometimes rules and tradition can hold back progress. Accomplish things; don’t just go along with how things have always been done.
• Never apologize for your success. The trick is to make sure that any infractions are insignificant compared to the benefit. There are going to be times when you should apologize, but do it only for true offenses.
Improvise: Don’t box yourself into thinking a certain way. Use what you can for a temporary solution and then look for a permanent solution. Fix your bike just enough so you can get home and properly fix it later.
• Experiment. Trial and error might take a while, but if you have no experience with a particular situation, it’s a very good way to begin. At the very least, you will learn what does not work.
• Adapt. Nothing is written in stone when it comes to solutions.[3] Look at other examples to get inspiration but make your solution fit your particular situation. Turn challenges into advantages.
• Don’t be afraid to use objects in unconventional ways. Wire coat hangers can be incredibly flexible and while screwdrivers aren’t really intended for chiseling, prying, pounding, scraping, etc., they’ll often do in a pinch.
• Don’t forget about the value of intangibles. Sunlight, gravity and good will can all act in your favor and can even be harnessed to your advantage.
Use situations to your advantage. There are negatives and positives to every situation. Try not to focus on what is wrong or bad about it. Look at the bright side and see what you can do right now with the positive aspects.
• If you missed the bus and the next one doesn’t come for another hour, can you enjoy a cup of coffee or browse a nearby store while you wait? If the weather is freezing, could you use snow as shelter or ice as a building material?
• If you are afraid, use fear to motivate you. It will drive you to get out of a bad situation. Harness that energy to think of a solution and take action. Emotions can be strong incentives to do things better and more efficiently, so use them wisely.
Act quickly: Often an effective solution hinges on a speedy response. Be decisive, and once a decision is made, don’t analyze–just act. You can’t solve a problem without taking some sort of action first.
• Remember that not making decisions costs you, whether it results in lost earnings or revenue, a less than stellar reputation or career problems. Empty inboxes and desks that are not covered in piles of unfinished paperwork are signs of making quick decisions and taking action. When something comes your way, take care of it right away instead of letting it linger.
• Making quick decisions about small matters is incredibly beneficial. Not only does it help you keep on top of everything sent your way, it also reduces stress, improves productivity and gives you a great reputation for managing your work. Let the positive aspects of quick decision-making be motivating factors for doing what needs to be done now.
• Start somewhere. Putting off what you know needs to be done is not conducive to reaching your goal. Take the first step by initiating the action needed to finish that task. Then move on to another.
Learn from your mistakes: If you had to scramble to correct a problem, take steps to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. If you tried something that didn’t work, try it a different way next time. See what went wrong and go from there.
• Play a few hands at once. Realize that sometimes your plan might not work out. Work on multiple angles for the same problem. Have a plan B and C ready.
Keep an open mind: Redefine what is and is not possible. You have unique talents that you can leverage to fulfill goals right now. Considering new possibilities is critical to taking action that will lead to success.
• Being open-minded means you are willing to find value in the people, events and things you come across. Embrace different possibilities, opportunities, people, views, suggestions and experiences.[8] Recognize that you can learn from things that are new or different. When you can think outside of the box, you can come up with innovative solutions to problems that others can’t.
• Say, “Yes, I can do this,” and push yourself to do what others might think is impossible. This is how people attain success when others give up on their dreams.
• Get out of your comfort zone and expand your horizons. If you have never been to a different country, tried a certain food, learned another language, tried to write a book or gone skydiving, and then do it. You may discover something along the way that makes your life better and helps you solve a problem.
Be confident: You are capable of handling any problem. You already have everything you need to solve it! Recognizing that you are competent and adequate enough to do something is the first step to actually getting it done.
• Self-confidence means you like and trust yourself. Appreciate your talents, abilities and good attributes. Know that you can problem-solve and find solutions to challenges.
• Visualize being successful every day. When difficulties come your way, picture yourself overcoming them. Imagine accomplishing your goals and celebrating your successes.
• Accept compliments and praise. Know that you deserve them.
• Keep a diary of your successes. Write down your achievements every day. Soon you will fill the pages of this book and be able to see how much you have done. This will go a long way to help you realize you have earned the right to be confident.
If you are a people pleaser, you live under the curse of being incapable of saying no. Chances are that you feel bad about refusing something in your personal or professional life. Helping others is certainly a good thing. Being incapable of turning requests down, however, will contribute to others taking advantage of you.
Limit the Number of Tasks You Attempt to Handle: Multitasking is often perceived as a positive thing that enables you to get a lot done. The truth couldn’t be any farther from this claim. When multitasking, you can’t focus fully on one single thing. As a result, you will need a lot more time to complete a task that would have required a fraction of the execution duration if you were fully focused. Limit the number of tasks you take on per day. For the purpose, you will also have to learn how to prioritize and how to determine what needs to be completed first.
Limit Your Belongings: Materialism and commercialism affect the manner in which you live your life. Advertising programs us to desire many things and to feel unhappy in the absence of those. Putting your happiness in material belongings creates a shallow sense of possession and accomplishment. You’ll have no idea how to feel truly and deeply satisfied in the absence of those things. Making belongings the center of your universe is as toxic as putting your happiness in the hands of another person. Limit your material possessions and refocus on the spiritual. Build relationships, learn new things and find your calling in life. A home filled with expensive things is eventually going to suffocate you if you don’t have anything meaningful to pursue.
(The author is a teacher at Govt. Higher Secondary School Damhall Anantnag. Views are his own)
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