You Can Lead A Horse To Water
Have you ever been in contact with someone who radiates dysfunction and no matter how hard you try to encourage them, they prefer to sit in their world of woe?
Yep… we’ve all been there. And some of us (and by “us” I’m totally calling myself out and really mean “me”), have actually crawled out of the muck and prefer to live in a brighter place. I was in my 20’s and hit a season of bleck. Challenges from my childhood, a disconnected relationship with my Dad and addiction issues that I still had not really yet identified, swirled me into a very dark emotional place.
I remember a good friend of mine who had about 10 years on me pointing out in a very gentle way that I needed help. That was my first stint with therapy and the first step into a better version of me. Now granted, I am a work in progress. But I sure am grateful that my friend Patti nudged me in the right direction so many years ago so that I could see that I was responsible for 99% of my emotional state (I give the weather the remaining 1%). It’s not what happens to us in life, it is how we respond to it.
Unfortunately for some, they live most of their lives paralyzed by their fears, and their issues and they play the victim card ad nauseam. And no matter what anyone says, nothing can penetrate their bubble of bleck. I recently had to gently release a long-distance client because no matter my encouragement, this person was simply not ready to make what was clear to me as a much-needed change. Two years of providing service, two years of offering solutions to the objections, and just trying to be a positive influence on this person’s life and woe continued to prevail.
Staying in the Positive
While our career category is “Sales”, we truly don’t sell anything. We are here to provide guidance, answer questions and help folks that truly want an amazing lifestyle make up their own mind based on what we provide. Financial outlines and spreadsheets, community details, market comps, and of course all of the property specs… each component is part of the equation but at the end of the day, we are not about to twist someone’s arm to make a decision simply because we feel it is the best one. As the old adage says, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.”
For me to stay in a positive place and keep my battery charged, sometimes it’s best to release those who are draining it (it also helps to write about it!). I need to accept that despite my very best efforts, I can’t help everyone. Our time is short on this lovely earth. And we are here now and actively helping many folks who want to journey to our amazing area. That’s where my energy is best used.
Whatever you are dealing with today, someone else is dealing with something as well. You are not alone, you are not a victim and you can shift your mindset in this very moment by finding one thing to be grateful for. Be a blessing to others, be a light, be patient, be kind but don’t be a doormat.
~ Daniel Cort
