A February in Maryland usually consists of some snow (at least one or two storms) and several school day closures. However, during this unseasonably warm winter, I spent a lot of time outdoors with my family. My children were excited to go to playgrounds and run around until the sun went down. One accomplishment for my son is that he finally learned to ride a two-wheeler on his own. He was unsteady when he tried to ride his bike in the fall and needed training wheels, but somehow gained the balance and confidence to ride on his own last month. He was so proud of himself and excited to ride his bike as much as possible. This made me think about boundaries and taking on new situations.

We talk ourselves out of taking risks and sometimes do not try out new things for fear of the worst case scenario. How do we remove ourselves from this vicious cycle? Everyone has to deal with challenging situations such as a difficult proposal, new client or boss or new job, and they test our ability to overcome the voices in our heads that raise doubt. Here are some tips that might help:

• Don’t overthink the situation
• Take it step-by-step so it seems more manageable
• Call for reinforcements
• Don’t take on a challenge that you know you don’t have the resources or skills to complete
• Practice and do your research so it seems less daunting
• Come in with a positive attitude – mind over matter
• Praising yourself when you complete or make progress on the challenging situation

What challenges do you face and how will you overcome them? Think like a 5-year old and you’ll be fine and riding a bike in no time!