Detach Yourself

Detach yourself. It’s something I’ve read about, my parents have told me about, and that I’ve tried to learn through my club at school. Maybe it’s time that helps, perhaps it’s my exhaustion with managing everything, but lately, I’ve discovered that one counterintuitive way to go about problem-solving is to detach myself from the problem itself. 

I easily become emotionally attached to things I’m a part of. There’s a part of me that wants nothing more than to extend every drop of energy out to projects, groups, and ideas I work on. Part of this resilient strive for perfection comes from my belief that I shouldn’t engage in anything I’m not willing to put 100% into. 

I’m quite surprised by my lack of stress and my ability to handle difficult situations calmly at this entrepreneurship program. Executing plans has consistently been something that's stressed me out at school. Nevertheless, my team and I have hit some troughs and lows, but somehow, I haven’t been feeling that burning desire to plow through these situations. I’ve found myself taking my time with every failure, struggle, and setback, creating learning opportunities from each obstacle. Could this be due to lower stakes in the summer? Lack of other stressors? Perhaps. But maybe time has allowed me to mature a little more.

I no longer feel the heat rise to my cheeks when things don’t “click” immediately; instead, I step back and evaluate the whys and the whats. I try not to attach my worth as a human being by my accomplishments, but rather, by my kindness and sincerity towards others. The inklings of a newfound ability to take a step back, view the situation from the outside in, is allowing me to tackle problems better. My breath stays down. I focus on the problem. Then I take the first step. Is this what adults refer to as emotional intelligence?