Forget About It

Ever lose something and go crazy trying to find it, only to discover it was right in front of you all along?

A few days ago I attended back-to-back events. The first was a late afternoon party celebrating the 10^th anniversary of a client, Printfresh Studio. Most of the women reading this have one of their designs in their closet. I met another attendee who suggested we get together to discuss mutual opportunities to refer our clients.   We traded business cards.

The next event, an hour away, was a fundraising dinner for Nakashima Foundation for Peace created by another client, George Nakashima Woodworker. At this lovely soiree, which took place at the Rago Arts & Auction Center, I wound up sitting across from a fellow with extensive international consulting experience. We discovered we have mutual business interests and also exchanged business cards.

I carefully placed both cards in the card case I carry at such events. Upon returning home, I removed the cards from the case and placed them next to my computer so I wouldn’t lose them. Or so I thought.

A day or two later I had time to reach out to these new acquaintances. But I couldn’t find the cards! I searched my desk several times to no avail. I racked my brain trying to remember if I had put them somewhere else and searched high and low. Nothing.

In utter frustration, I asked the person who joined me that evening if she had also obtained these people’s business cards. She hadn’t.

But she did have the good graces to calm me down, tell me to forget about it, and assure me that it would all work out. Both people would likely reach out to me shortly.

Upon returning to my desk a few hours later, I sat down, moved a piece of paper right next to the computer, and there they were! Two business cards staring at me.

But hadn’t I looked in that same place before? I was sure I did, but I just didn’t see what I was looking for. Why could I see the cards now? Because I calmed down, decided to ignore the problem and let my mind clear.

This happens often. Suddenly I see things I couldn’t see before. Things sitting right there in front of me the entire time. Sometime the things are objects such as business cards. Sometimes they’re solutions to a client issue, or an easier path for achieving a difficult goal, or an idea for one of these missives.

Each time it happens I remember how difficult it is to be at your best when riled up. Your thoughts close in, your eyesight gets worse, your frustration increases. And you don’t find what you need.

Something as simple as taking a few deep breaths or walking around a bit thinking about something else can provide clarity. In my case it was sharing my frustration with someone who reminded me to stop worrying.

Giving up is difficult for most of us. We want to keep pushing on until we find those business cards which we just know are somewhere right in front of us. They may be, but we won’t see them if we continue to fret.

Relax, forget about it, give yourself a break. Often when you give up…objects, solutions, great ideas suddenly appear.