I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.
Today’s tip is to pick one of your strengths and use it this week.
The easy joke is that I used my pectorals and did some weightlifting. However, this week I picked a different strength. This week I used: people pleasing and support.
My wife had a dressage competition this week. We ended up driving to a show and living in a camper for a few days, during some of which I worked. A show is stressful, both for her and the horse, and they have a schedule they’re trying to stick to. It was also hot, and limited amenities around.
Instead of trying to maintain my schedule, find time to work out, etc., I decided to be completely supportive and help my wife with her schedule. I didn’t worry about my workouts, I moved my work around her competition times, and I was ready to jump in and tackle tasks she asked for or needed, subordinating what I wanted to thought I could get done.
That’s a little stressful, as I try to still work, but I let many things go, relaxed where I could, and made the show the priority.
It worked out well, and now I’m back into a normal schedule for me, hitting the gym and worrying about my own chores. She’s happy, too. She qualified for a season ending show, and felt the trip was a success.