REFLECTION: Few of us would borrow money unless we had to. So, it’s one of life’s great puzzles, that so many of us insist on borrowing trouble.

So far in Saskatchewan, it’s been an awesomely mild winter. Instead of enjoying the sunshine and mild temperatures, I hear people warning, “March and April are going to be a kicker – cold and miserable! Just wait and see. We’ll pay for this later!”

An item someone’s been longing to purchase goes on sale. Instead of joyously heading to the shop to pick it up, I hear that person predicting, ‘They’ll probably be all out of them by the time I get there!”

Employees respond to the announcement of a change in a process at work as if the devil himself had crafted a dastardly plan to max out the daily quota of torment and tedium.

Well … maybe March will blow like a blizzard from one end to the other. Maybe the longed for item will be out of stock. Maybe the new process will end up being as cumbersome as predicted. If so, we’ll deal with it!

Or … maybe March will be every bit as mild as the winter so far. Or, maybe the shop will have the item in stock, in the right color and size, with an additional 10% Wednesday only in-store discount. Or, maybe the change in workplace process will end up saving tons of time and energy – and turn out to be the best thing ever. If so, we’ll deal with that, too.

I know, I know…if you don’t get your hopes up you won’t be disappointed! Still, dragging a wet blanket and a storm cloud everywhere we go makes the journey tougher and darker than it needs to be. Must dodging a bullet of disappointment be the only route to happiness?

On the other hand, expecting an ideal and perfect outcome in every situation, can lead to its share of disappointment, too.

What are the chances we could find some middle ground where we simply hold a hopeful, confident, ‘we can handle it’ point of view – without attaching expectations one way or another.

It’s an approach that might improve our experience of life in the moment. (Remembering that the present moment is the only one we are guaranteed at all.)

ACTION: We could borrow things that are way more valuable than trouble. If you’re going to borrow anything, borrow patience, borrow confidence, borrow gratitude. Or, when all else fails, borrow a cup of sugar from a kind hearted soul in your circle of support.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Worry is the interest paid by those who borrow trouble.” – George Washington

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK: Here’s an interesting article on The Trouble With Expectations.

READERS WRITE: In response to last week’s message, Step Away From Your Desk, Pause reader, LH writes: How amazing that your newsletter should pop into my in-box today of all days. I had actually just been arguing this morning with my inner demon that I needed to start taking an actual lunch break!

Prior to our company being acquired, I had to work a 7.5 hour work day. I came in at 8:30 and worked until 4:30, giving me a 1/2 hour break. The new company changed that. I now have to work an 8 hour day, but I never changed my hours, so as you can see I have left myself no time for a break of any kind.

That’s been about 18 months and I really see the difference. I’m more fatigued, more frustrated, more stressed. While some of that is due to the reorganization and the changes brought through the acquisition, some of it is just due to not having any downtime.

So I negotiated with ‘evil me’ that if I came into work just a little earlier, I would have the time to actually go out, enjoy lunch, read my book or go for a walk, take some me time, instead of eating at my desk while catching up on e-mails and such.

Your article was just too timely to be a coincidence! I will heed whatever prompted the thought to strike me – today of all days – only to be reinforced by your article. I hereby promise that I will take your advice and step away from the desk!