Potty Talk
I had to deal with a plumbing situation last week. My toilet was making a loud hiss sound and I didn’t know why. Acting as if I knew what I should be looking for, I took the lid off the back and all the parts seemed to be in place and functioning well. But, the hissing noise persisted, so I lightly tugged on one of the chains, wiggled a valve, flicked a tube…anything I could think to do that might magically jostle whatever it was that was out of place back into place. And, still, it continued to hiss. I became frustrated because I didn’t know how to make it stop. Impatience quickly followed. I went to the hardware store, showed a video of the problem to an employee, and he recommended that I replace the toilet valve cap. He might as well have told me to sing the National Anthem in Greek, but I nodded and said, “ok”, as if I am a DIY Queen (which I am very much not). He advised watching a YouTube video to help guide the process. “Ok”, I said again. Home I went. I got myself all jazzed up to watch the video and fix the problem without having to call in bigger plumbing guns. Less than 5 minutes into the process, I did something wrong. I don’t know what I did, I just know it was wrong. Nothing that the man on YouTube was saying would be happening was actually happening - at one point, water was spraying from a tube that had become unattached…you get the picture. In a panic, I called a friend who moonlights as a home fix-it person. Fortunately, he was able to come right over. He took his working position on the porcelain throne and in less than 30 seconds told me that the problem was X when all along I’d been thinking it was Y. And X was as simple a solution as that moment when you realize the reason your toaster isn’t working is because you haven’t plugged it in. The Y problem I’d been directed to fix was perfectly fine.
This whole scenario reminded me of ten basic tips and tools that I share with clients when things go awry for one reason or another:
Breathe - Most problems have solutions and many are less complicated than you initially believe them to be.
Slow down - Deep, slow breaths allow for more clarity of thought and rational decision-making.
Know your limits - We all have them. Own yours.
Ask for help - Nothing could be more important. Ever.
Push yourself - Not to the point of injury (emotional or physical) and certainly not beyond your scope of expertise.
Check your Ego - Denying, justifying, rationalizing, manipulating, and/or minimizing - not a good look on anyone.
Trust the process - Some fixes are easier than others. Don’t give up when the job requires more than flipping a switch.
Ask questions - No one knows everything. Be brave enough to ask what you don’t know.
Listen to your gut - Get quiet so you can hear it.
Laugh - Not every situation warrants one, but most eventually do. Don’t miss the opportunity.