Recipe for Disaster.

I have problems.

The first step to having a problem is admitting it. The second is analyzing it and figuring out why. The third step is figuring out what you can do about it. The last step is conquering it or assimilating it or accepting that it is a part of you.

So, there is the first step. I have admitted that I have a problem. Actually, I have multiple problems. Actually, today, I feel like I have just about a million and a half problems. What is worse is that I keep feeling like I am doing absolutely everything right today and for approximately 7 seconds, I am proud of myself. Then, like a Mac truck without any brakes, I am the pedestrian in the crosswalk who gets blindsided by the oncoming, out of control vehicle. Before I get completely side tracked, I'll leave this metaphor to die and tell you that I am failing at life today and have no idea why.

Here is where we come to Step 2: Understanding. I feel blindsided and confused and I start assigning myself problems. And then to those problems, I start assigning a hundred different ways from Sunday why I have those problems. I always start with my parents and work my way down the timeline of my life from there.

-Like any self help recipe, I'll supply an example:

a. Problem: I push people away because I don't understand or want to know what love feels like.

b. Why: Divorced parents. Love = someone leaving = pain = hurt = trust issues.

c. What Do I Do About It:...That leaves us at Step 3.

I've got the problem. I've got one possible answer to the reason why and now I need to think about what I do to solve this issue. The logical first start would be to trust someone. Let's hypothetically say that I am capable of that. Now, let's say that I find someone I care about enough to trust and I do so. I give them love and support and everything else underneath the sun because that's what the remedy calls for: unbridled adherence to the solution.

All that leaves is Step 4, correct? So...

A. Someone returns that love and I conquer one piece of my problem.

B. Someone returns that love and I am conscious that a change has occurred but am unable to accept that the problem is dealt with.

C. Someone breaks my trust again and I accept that loving people really does suck.

With all of that said, I hope that I have helped you realize how to come to terms with problems in your life. As for me, I've come to the conclusion that if you end up at point C by the end of Step 4 enough times, you stop admitting that you have a problem.