Stop being the problem solver.

I always say that I don’t do tips, but I’ll share one anyway.

This is an insight I had this morning that landed deeper than ever before (like really good ones do), and though I know that they are very personal, this one feels quite universal.

So…

‘If you meet with a person who is in trouble and freaked out about it, don’t be concerned with finding the solution.’

That’s the tip.

Let me expand.

For most of my life, I have been in a fierce problem-solving mode.

For myself AND for others.

Whenever I found myself in a situation that felt riddled with challenges, I immediately started to look for solutions and actions.

And although it’s a really human and normal thing to do, and obviously has its place in life, it’s not per se the most practical or helpful.

Here’s the thing: when a person comes to you with a problem or a challenge, what they really want is not the answer to their question.

What they want is to feel safe, to know that it will be okay, to have the notion that it’s not the end of the world.