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Friday, December 20, 2013

The Stool of Initial Recourse



Life can be confounding requiring a reliable coping mechanism. I have found over the years that the Stool of Initial Recourse enhances focus with clarity and conciseness. The stool is comprised of three legs constructed of three brief sentences:
1. It Is What It Is.
2. Just Deal with It.
3. Call for Backup.

Leg one beckons acceptance of the situation; leg two beckons the assumption of ownership; and leg three reminds us that we are not alone.

Acceptance of the situation is the key first step to arriving at realism and objective analysis. That is, the preconceptions surrounding the situation are taken to be less important than what is actually there—thus traversing dangerous sloughs of fantasy and denial. Ownership of the situation is important for it enlists personal responsibility and initiative. Finally, the recognition that we are not alone opens up vistas of resources and accelerates beyond the Lone Ranger mentality—seldom the most effective or efficient way forward.







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