By Radley West
There’s a funny thing about success. Sometimes it creates problems you didn’t have before.
I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately because of my wreath business. When I started making wreaths and bows, my biggest problem was figuring out how to make them.
What ribbon works together? How do I get the loops right? How do I make a bow that actually looks like the picture in my head? How many times can I remake the same thing before I admit I’m doing it wrong?
Those were good problems. Then people started buying them. Suddenly I had a completely different set of problems. One of those problems is shipping.
If you’ve never tried to ship a large, three-dimensional wreath across the country, let me save you some time: it’s not cheap.
Apparently, cardboard boxes have developed an advanced degree in economics.
A wreath can be beautiful, handmade and worth every penny to the person buying it, but if shipping costs nearly as much as the wreath itself, you have a problem to solve.
So now I’m researching boxes, packaging, shipping rates, dimensions and ways to protect a giant bow from being crushed into something that looks like it survived a tornado.
And I have to laugh. Because this is a problem I didn’t have when nobody was buying anything.
That got me thinking about how often we look at the problems in our lives without considering where they came from.
Sometimes the problem is actually a byproduct of something good.
The business is growing, so you need more space. The kids are getting older, so your role as a parent changes. You get promoted, and suddenly you have more responsibility. You get stronger, and the workout that used to challenge you doesn’t anymore. You lose weight, and now you need a completely different wardrobe. You become successful at something, and suddenly you have to figure out how to manage the success.
We tend to think that once we accomplish the goal, the problems are supposed to disappear.
But they don’t. They just change.
That’s true in fitness, too. Someone comes into the gym because they want to lose 20 pounds. Eventually they lose the weight. Then the goal becomes maintaining it. Maybe they want to get stronger. Then they get stronger and decide they want to run a 5K. Then they run the 5K and decide they want to run it faster.
There is always another problem to solve. I actually think that’s a good thing. It means you’re moving. It means you’re growing. It means you’re not standing still.
The trick is learning to recognize the difference between a problem that means something is wrong and a problem that means something is changing.
That distinction can change your entire perspective. A busy schedule may mean your life is full. A challenging workout may mean your body is getting stronger. A business problem may mean your business is growing. A difficult transition may mean you’ve outgrown the life you were living.
None of that makes the problem less frustrating. Trust me, I would still like to find a way to ship a wreath without requiring a second mortgage. But it does make the problem easier to approach.
Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” Maybe we should sometimes ask, “What is this asking me to figure out?” That’s a very different question.
One makes you feel like a victim of the problem. The other makes you part of the solution.
I’ve spent a lot of years coaching people, and one thing I’ve learned is that progress rarely looks like a straight line. You solve one problem and discover another. You reach one goal and set a new one.
You change your habits and suddenly have to change your schedule. You get stronger and realize you need to challenge yourself differently.
That’s not failure. That’s the process.
So if you’re dealing with a problem right now, take a minute before you decide it means something has gone wrong.
Ask yourself where the problem came from. Is it actually a sign that something is broken? Or is it simply a new problem created by the fact that you’re growing?
Sometimes the thing we love becomes a problem to solve. Maybe that’s not such a bad problem to have.
Now, if anyone has figured out how to ship a 24-inch wreath economically, I’m all ears.
Radley West is married to Dr. Andrew West, and together they own 33/18 Chiropractic & Wellness in Irmo. As a former gym owner for more than 18 years, West enjoys helping people achieve non-traditional health goals. She and Andrew teach clients that while a gym is not necessary, fitness and chiropractic care are part of a healthy lifestyle. Though she’s a competitive athlete, she’s the first to say that fitness should be fun, and she never takes herself too seriously. Her and Andrew’s passion lies in empowering clients to lead healthier, more active lives, whether that means easily climbing stairs or improving posture. You can also check out West’s front door wreath and decor company, Worth the Knock. She can be found on all social platforms and Etsy @worththeknock.
