I Am Trying to Remember ....

...to try things -- but if they don't work -- to try something else.

That is a brilliant quote from my journal.  It is so easy to get into bad patterns without realizing it. 

Maybe I'm trying to keep my house plants alive by watering them when they start to look desperate, and I think to myself, "I keep trying so hard, and they just keep dying!" without ever stopping to think that I should work out a better watering schedule for those tortured plants.

Or, when I get sad, I often isolate myself from people hoping I can just work my way out of sadness myself.   I try this same thing over and over, and if it didn't work the first 3,000 times, there is a good chance it isn't going to work today either!  Generally when I am sad, the solution is to be with people -- not to avoid them.  By isolating myself I do avoid being embarrassed by crying "at" someone, but I don't get feeling happy faster!

So, I just need to remember, to try things (solutions), but if they don't work, to try something else.  Eventually, something will work.

*Photo by Pedro Kümmel on Unsplash