You have problems, you think drink helps, then you have two problems. – George Peppard
Now, in addition to all your other problems, you have a drinking problem. Well played. NOT!
What does that mean?
To me, this is just the cold, sober truth. Drinking doesn’t make problems go away, it multiplies them, or at the very least, it adds to them. Whether you’re drinking to forget someone, to drown your sorrows, or for any other reason, turning to the bottle for help with your problems will never end well.
And it’s not just drinking that can lead to problems. Some people turn to eating, to emotional outbursts, to other intoxicants, to physical abuse, or other behaviors. None of these work out well. Unfortunately, many in Hollywood (and all other corners of the earth) still fall prey to the thinking that something else can take care of their problems.
Sometimes they are trying to hide from their difficulties, but the end result is still going to be the same. Life has a way of catching up with you, and when it does, you still have all your old problems, plus all the new ones associated with your drinking (or other escape mechanism). And that’s not the way, in my opinion, things should be done.
Why is facing your problems important?
Unless your problem is having too much time on your hands, waiting, hiding, or otherwise trying to avoid the issues in your life (sometimes called problems) will not make things better. Yes, you might delay the inevitable, but you won’t stop it. And usually, these issues come due with added interest and late fees, right?
So why is it important to face your issues, rather than try to avoid them? Well, the sooner you get things cleaned up, the smaller and easier they are to deal with. I can think of nothing that gets better the longer you delay. By getting involved sooner rather than later, you get a little more say in how things go.
I think we can all agree that very few things will get better without our intervention. And things tend to go from bad to worse, so sooner works better than later. These should all be pretty obvious, and not need much explanation, right? You’ve probably heart them all before. How often do you actually live them? Is it something worthy of your consideration?
Where can I apply this in my life?
Where in your life are you having difficulties, situations, or problems? What are you doing to straighten things out? Or have you decided to try to out-last them, drink them away, or otherwise hide from them. How well is it working? Do you think you’ll ever win using those tactics?
Yes, it won’t be pleasant facing the mess right now, but ask yourself (and insist on an honest answer), “When would be a better time to deal with it?” What answer did you get? Was it “Now!” or at least “Sooner rather than later!”? I hope so. If not, why not? What will you gain by delaying your start?
Grab some paper and put some of your present challenges down on paper. Then add why you haven’t fixed them. Sometimes, there is a valid reason for waiting a short period of time before fixing it. “An expert will be here help next weekend to help me with it” might be one. But make sure you’re not just making excuses, right?
Some issues need time, others need money, a few need both, and there will always be odd ones that need something special. Figure out what the main stumbling block is for each of the issues you have on your paper. What other things, specifically, do you need? Do you need to make up with someone? Do you need help with a specific task? Get it down on paper.
Try not to be overwhelmed. Sometimes laying things out like this can really be a shock if you haven’t been keeping track of the issues in your life. Take a look at what you have that’s time related (as in, you need to wait until Spring to plant a garden), and set them aside for the moment.
Of the issues that are left, what is the most urgent? Mark it. Now look for anything that’s small now, that could get big and ugly quickly. Mark those in a different manner. Look at what remains, and see if anything else is really in need of dealing with quickly.
What you’ve just done is one form of prioritization. I have no idea what is most pressing, what is about to blow up, and what can be put aside for a while. You will have to figure out in which order you will tackle them. But now you have a start.
Stay focused, work on them in the order (and the multiplicity) necessary. By that I mean don’t get focused just on one. Especially if you have some free time, work on something else. They didn’t get big instantly, nor will they go away instantly, but you can make progress, and slowly beat them back.
It might also be worth trying to communicate with the people involved. They might be able to cut you a little slack, or suggest people or programs that can help you out in some manner. Hey, it’s worth a try, right? Besides, then they know you’re trying. You’re not just trying to ignore your problems, but face them.
Stand up and face your problems. It may not be pleasant, but they’re not going away without some work. It’s time to get started.
From: Twitter, @FamousQuotes140
confirmed at : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/g/georgepepp247391.html
Photo by I .. C .. U
Happy Birthday to George Peppard, born 1 October 1928.
