Car breakdownLast week my car broke down on the freeway as I was driving to Minneapolis.

I had a speaking engagement the next day in St. Paul. Fortunately, I had left home a day early even though I had contemplated leaving early the next morning.

Time to put my Figure It Out Factor to work.

First of all, I needed to get my car off the side of the freeway. I called my insurance company, I have roadside assistance service, and they arranged for a truck to come and get me and tow it to a repair place near my breakdown.

My FIOF was not challenged greatly on this first step.

Step two was to contact my brother and see if he could drive the thirty miles or so and come and pick me up. I was going to be staying with him during my time in the twin cities.

He agreed, as I hoped he would. Not a big FIOF challenge on step two either.

As I was waiting for my brother to come and pick me up my FIOF was put to work. How was I going to get to my speaking engagement the next day?

My sister-in-law always takes the bus to work so I was sure she would let me use her vehicle the next day. Step 3 of my FIOF was now complete as well.

Or so I thought!

My sister-in-law was with my brother when he came to pick me up. They asked me what I was going to do the next day and I explained that I was hoping to use my sister-in-law’s vehicle since she always takes the bus to work.

Now, my FIOF was challenged. She needed her car the next day. Say what!?

My brother quickly said he could give me a ride to my all day engagement but that I would have to figure out a way back to their place at the end of the day.

A particular thought had crossed my mind but I didn’t want to go there unless it was an absolute last resort. I could take the bus.

My sister-in-law verbally, out loud brought up the bus possibility and now I had to strongly consider it.

I must admit to having some fear about taking the bus. I’m not sure I’ve ever ridden on a city bus.

It wasn’t that I fear the riders. I feared the process. It was an unknown. What if I missed a stop or got on a wrong bus?

As the courage guy I now began to see opportunity and to challenge myself to be uncomfortable.

My sister-in-law took the liberty to plot out a route for me to get from St. Paul back to their place in Brooklyn Park.

As I lay in bed that night I actually got a little bit excited about my adventure the next day. I was still nervous and fearful but looking forward to the challenge.

When I woke up the next morning I reviewed the route given to me by my sister-in-law. It didn’t look too daunting. I can handle this.

Then I thought to myself, “I wonder if the transit system has an app?”

Sure enough! There’s an app for that!

I downloaded the app and found that I could plug in my starting locations and my ending location and it told me exactly what buses and trains I could ride to get home.

I will admit to you that I misread the app and missed my first stop so I had to be on the bus longer than was necessary but I made it.

I will also admit to you that far too often I have looked for an easy way out or avoided situations or challenges because my FIOF wasn’t very strong.

It takes courage to develop your FIOF.

Another word that works for your FIOF is resilience. I’m learning to become more resilient and not be so quick to find an easy way out.

I think we live in a society that has stifled resilience and the FIOF. Too many things in our lives are way too easy and we succumb to the challenges without even trying.

One thing I know I was guilty of with my children when they were young was too often solving their problems for them rather than encouraging them and guiding them to figure it out for themselves.

What is your FIOF? My guess is it’s something you’ve never really thought much about.

I encourage you to pause the next time you’re faced with a roadblock and spend some time growing your FIOF.

Resilience and courage are like muscles. The more you use them the more they develop and grow.

I believe we are all capable of so much more than we think we are both physically and mentally!

I think you will be pleasantly surprised by what you can accomplish if you simply try!

1 Thessalonians 5:18

 

Have a STRONG and COURAGEOUS day!

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