Have you ever wondered what to do when life gives you lemons? As a widowed person, we’ve had our share! I’m certain the passing of the one we loved is one of them. Me? I feel some days like I was given an entire orchard of them, and now have to figure out what to do. What do you do when life gives you lemons?

One of the first things you can do when life gives you lemons is to determine exactly what they are. In other words, what exactly is your crisis? Remember, the older, primitive part of your brain will scream worst case scenario’s. That’s it’s job. It’s trying to protect you from death by sabertooth tiger.

It’s your prefrontal cortex (PFC) that you need to engage during these times. It can help you think, plan, visualize possible scenarios, and consider solutions outside of the box. You know, things that require a rational mind. Your PFC can help you tap into strategic thinking.

Threshing out what actually IS versus the story you are telling yourself about your crisis will help you gain perspective.

The second thing you can do is try to maintain perspective. You get to chose how you will respond to your lemon crisis. You can chose to pucker up and experience the sourness of life. Or you can chose to make something with those lemons.

My story is part of a much larger story that I did not choose. I was assigned a role for which I did not audition. Yet I have the power to chose how I will live out that story and play that role. I want to live my story well and play my role with as much integrity and joy as I can.

Jerry Sitter

When life gave me an orchard full of lemons, I freaked out and ran through a multitude of worst case scenario’s. Then I stopped. I made the decision to think carefully and ON PURPOSE about what was happening and how I was going to respond to it.

I tapped into my superpower: mind management. Once my thoughts were managed I was able to gain some perspective.

I live my life with the thought that what I do today may be a life line for someone else in the future. I choose to look for the things I can control, and live in the reality of “this is what is happening” as opposed to “this can’t possibly be happening.”. I choose to explore possibilities.

And you can too.

Someday, they’re going to talk about my story and how I chose to show up and play the role I was handed but didn’t want. There may be some laughter and tears. And then they’ll put some flowers by my headstone and leave.

What do you want them to say about you?

Julie

P.S. Dear friends, you can do this. You CAN deal with life, even when it gives you lemons. And I’m here to help. You can click on the contact button and we get connected. It’s that easy.