Stop Wasting Energy on Other’s Problems

When we are feeling certain and maybe a little stubborn, that is a great cue to stop and pause to prepare. We might want to ask another question - "What problem am I solving here?" and its twin - "What problems might I cause if I keep pressing on my certain way of seeing?"

I stood in line and received my vaccine for the coronavirus with complete gratitude and without hesitation. But not everyone I love saw the situation through the same lens of understanding. I am happy to express my gratitude for the vaccine without having to waste an ounce of energy on judging the opinions of others. I have decided that worrying about what others decide is a waste of energy and not in keeping with my core values.

After all, I thought, what problem am I solving by getting into the middle of someone else's decision? What problems might I cause if I press my certain way of seeing on others? Plenty! Because it will just stir up dissension and conflict - who needs that? Isn't there more than enough of that to go around?

Where I need to spend my energy is looking at the statistics for vaccination rates in my community and making the best decision I can about how to proceed with my own choices based on the information I have - which, of course, may be wrong, or not quite right, or inaccurate. I cannot ever really know 100% for sure. I will have to trust myself to make the best choices I can make. But it will be an absolute waste of precious energy to try to make choices for others.

How much energy do you waste trying to solve other people's problems? What do you want to let go of?