Crisis Aversion: Take action NOW

When faced with an immediate crisis, many people (I'd say most) go into a panic and start worrying about the worst that could happen.

Instead, take action on the one solution you KNOW will work. It might cost money up front. It might take a bit of time. But what you gain is respite from the crisis itself, and a chance to gain a little altitude on the situation. This way, you can seek out a more ideal (i.e., cheaper, less time-consuming, more convenient) long-term solution without the threat of whatever impending doom the crisis brought on in the first place.

My mom once asked how I'm able to stay level-headed when things are about to implode; and I've had plenty of implosions in the last few years, believe me! I explained that my first step is to roll through my mental list of people who might have a solution right now. If that doesn't work, I hit Google and start looking at options.

The thing to remember is that an immediate, actionable solution might sting right this second, but the purpose is to remove the crisis and turn it into a lower-priority problem that needs a better solution but isn't going to ruin your life this week.

If you can do that, you'll remove a ton of stress from problems that, at first glance, seem insurmountable.

Remember: There's ALWAYS a solution that will give you the result you ultimately want.