Rain

As I have done in past blogs, I'm going to present a challenge from the card game called Bounce Back. The game is a tool that we have been using in teaching the skills and the attitudes of resilience. It is a "serious game" that ask you to apply the skills and attitudes of resilience to a specific challenge and describe how you would respond to that challenge using these skills. Just like life, we don't know what challenge we will be dealt.
Here's one that relates to the weather: rain and lots of it.
It has been raining all day. You leave work early so that you can get home in time for the birthday party that your wife is been planning for your eight-year-old. You're almost there, and as you top the hill, you see that the road at the bottom is flooded. Cars have stopped. Some of turned around. But you have no other way quickly home. You will be late at least an hour if you take the alternative route. What do you do?
Take some time and think about this and what skills and attitude you might apply in the situation.
Here are some of the suggestions about ways that you might deal with the situation. Again, these are only suggestions. Every situation is different, as is every person.
First, we would encourage you to calm down and to think clearly about what you're going to do. That means managing all those feelings that may have come up as you realize that you may be dealing with a disappointed eight-year-old, with an angry wife. So take a deep breath and calm down.
Clearly you need to communicate with your family. Let them know your situation. They may be able to help you think about what the best plan is which. Make a realistic plan and carry it out.
Lastly, we would suggest that you look at the big picture. Your family want you to get home safely. There will be other birthday parties. And being late for this one may create some disappointment, but it may ensure that you will be around for the next one. Take care of yourself.
We have found over the years that using this game and its challenges encourages people to really think about what they would do in a specific situation and requires them to actually demonstrate how they would apply the skills in the attitudes of resilience to the challenge. Put yourself in the situation. Think through what you would actually say to your wife or to your eight-year-old.
We would encourage you to talk about this challenge with others. Asked them what they would do and if you value their opinion in their direction asked them to coach you.