Say Goodbye to Panic Mode: My 4-step Process For Problem Solving With Peace

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Note from LSG: This is the first week I’ve enabled the comments section here on The St. Germain Journal! From here on out, if a story resonates or sparks something in you that you want to share, please do! There may be times that you agree and there may be times that you disagree with my words and wherever you land is great. In this community, we accept and welcome differing opinions that are shared respectfully and with good intention. I can’t wait to have more conversations with all of you and I’m grateful our paths have crossed.

I’m a problem solver. A strategic thinker. And I know being that way has contributed to the success I’ve seen both in my corporate roles and in my life as a whole. I can size things up and get things done. 

But before I go into problem solving mode, there’s usually one thing that happens first…

I panic. 

You may not see it, but trust me, it’s there. In fact, many people I’ve worked with have complimented the way I approach challenging situations with a sense of calm and ease before taking the next step forward. Ha, if they only knew!

After talking about this dreaded panic zone with a friend recently,  I realized many of you might feel this way too. You know you have what it takes to move through whatever it is you’re facing, but you spend precious moments panicking before you actually solve the problem in front of you.

I’ve been actively working on this in my personal growth journey because I want to continue to be someone who can overcome challenges, but I want to do so with less pressure and more ease. 

Which is why today, I am sharing my simple 4-step process for solving problems and making decisions from a much more grounded place. I’ve been doing bits and pieces of this practice for years, but it was only last month that I started consciously incorporating this into my daily life. 

The 4-step process is simple and hella effective. The steps are Walk, Talk, Breathe and Brainstorm. Here’s how it works:

Walk. This one is as straight-forward as it sounds. Get up and out of your chair, away from your computer screen or any technology, and go for a walk. If that’s not accessible, at a minimum, change your scenery. It works best for me if I’m walking outside, breathing in fresh air and taking in the beauty of everything around me. I know it sounds cheesy, but I promise you will feel so much better than you would if you were sitting and staring and thinking at your computer screen. And as it turns out, there’s actually a name for this process! In Latin, the phrase “solvitur ambulando” means “solving by walking.” Who knew? 

Talk. We often think about talking as something that involves other people, but here, it is absolutely acceptable that you talk to yourself. If there’s someone in your life who can help you process what’s going on and be an active listener, great, but if not, don’t underestimate the power of talking out loud to yourself. Ask yourself questions. What’s the situation? What do you need to think through? Where do you need guidance or more information? The answers are within you. Bring them to life and break them down bit by bit.  

Breathe. Yes, you should have been breathing all along, but this part of the process is for when the walk is complete. You’ve gotten up and moved your body and you’ve begun to process what’s going on in your mind, but now it’s time to intentionally bring peace to the situation. You can choose how you want to feel. Close your eyes and take 10 deep breaths. Consider taking it one step further and add an affirmation. Repeat “I choose” with every inhale and “peace” with every exhale. You’ll be able to return to the situation with a sense of calm. 

Brainstorm. This is the fun part. Grab your journal, a notebook or open a word document and start writing or typing the information you’ve gathered. Let this be unfiltered writing and thinking. Review, reflect and refine what you see. From there, you can decide your path forward, which might mean going for another walk and repeating the process again!

This entire process can take as little as 10 minutes but, depending on what you’re working through it may take longer. A few weeks ago, I had to make a big decision in my business and this whole process took over 24 hours. I took several walks. I talked it out with my husband, a friend and out loud to myself. I took many deep breaths and I brainstormed my options before arriving at my final decision. 

For years, I’ve been praised for my ability to assess a situation, solve problems and make things happen, but it was hard to receive that praise because I despised the process to get there. It’s why I am intentionally choosing to make decisions and approach challenges differently. I want to skip the panic and choose peace. And you can too.

Give this a try and let me know how it changes your life. I know it will because it’s changed mine. 

On the left: Text reads “Personal Growth for Modern Corporate Women, Commit to yourself & growing into the next version of you.” Below is a radio button that says “Tell me more!” and by clicking the photo, you are directed to a page where you can learn more about coaching with Lauren.

On the right: There is a picture of Lauren, smiling, sitting on a park bench with her laptop.