We think of it as being practical or being logical or reasonable about the whole thing. There’s a situation, it needs a solution in a specific time frame, there are limited options, so we sort and sift and think creatively outside the box while staying within the lines and come up with a solution. It’s not one we like, it does damage to some of our core principles, but it’s something we can live with and it’s temporary. We can work with it and make things better once this crisis is over.
That’s the power of problem solving. Being afraid, being in trouble, having real world difficulties, dealing with the situation as it is, and getting through it and out the other side where everything is bright and there are rainbows and kittens and life is good and we can manifest in peace. Whew! So what if I kicked wisdom and common sense, the bigger picture, a whole host of my needs and my ability to manifest things for my best and highest good to the curb? There was a problem and I was afraid and I manifested a solution didn’t? Crisis averted!
Well, yes and no. More like crisis kicked down the road a bit. I’m all for common sense and problem solving and I think we should have a great deal more of it in certain circles and practices. However, when we’re using our problem solving super powers to obey our fears, real or imagined, about a situation or about ourselves, our ability to manifest narrows down to manifesting our fears. Everything we experience gets twisted to reinforce our fears, we screen out opportunities because they don’t resolve or acknowledge our fears, and we narrow our focus to things which will resolve our fears to such an extent that we are willing to do significant damage to our own core being. Hence I call this kind of crisis management problem solving the anti-manifestation. It doesn’t look at the win/win scenario, it has no ability to see long-term effects, it sees only massive blood loss that needs to be stemmed at all cost, even if there is not bleeding at all.
So before getting all practical and seeking to resolve a problem, first step and assess what the actual problem is. Is this a crisis or is your fear trying to make it into one? Or as my drivers-ed teacher said once upon a time: Look where you’re driving or you’ll drive where you’re looking.