Trust Yourself
Have you ever longed to know the inner workings of a dishwasher? Yeah, me neither, but recently while unloading dishes, I was horrified to discover an abundance of mildew growing in the interior - gross! I immediately set to work to clean it up and see what was going on. As I started to assess the situation, I found myself yucked out asking questions like:
How long has it been like this?
How have I not seen this until today?
How am I supposed to fix this?
I knew I could request a service call for appliance repair, but I also knew I’d be paying someone to come troubleshoot and potentially fix something very simple. I decided to tackle that part myself and call in a pro if needed. I was also not wiling to leave that mildewy mess a moment longer now that I knew about it.
I got out the manual. I googled a few repair videos. I thoroughly cleaned the dishwasher and discovered the filter was sludgy and then some. I thought I broke parts about 3 different times, but thankfully hadn’t. It turns out you’re actually allowed to take apart your own stuff…but it’s good to remember how to put it back together.
I decided it would be prudent to replace the drainage hose since it was icky too. I saved this job for when my man-cub got home from school. He got to use his utility tool and he fits nicely under the kitchen sink cabinet. Real-world learning for the win!
When we’d finished and tested it out, there was still standing water in the washer drain. I took that as a sign we still hadn’t figured out the problem. Then I had an idea, and googled to learn how much standing water is normal in a dishwasher. Turns out, it was just as it should be. Done and done!
The dishes have never been cleaner and I felt a massive sense of accomplishment for a successful repair. As we were re-setting the dishwasher in it’s place I reflected on the truth of a mantra I love, from entrepreneurial guide Marie Forleo, “EVERYTHING is figureoutable.”
Do I know jack about dishwashers or really anything mechanical? NO. Do I feel a sense of anxiety when disassembling anything unsupervised? YES. Was there a recent instance where I attempted to address an issue with the washing machine that then required the assistance of a neighbor to set to rights? YES. Did my man-cub remind me of this when I excitedly informed him he was my dishwasher repair assistant? YES.
So why did I feel compelled to spend the better part of an entire day repairing my dishwasher? Because I remembered that everything is figureoutable. I remembered that while I don’t understand or know how to repair the inner workings of appliances, I do know stuff. Useful stuff. Stuff that has over time enhanced my capacity to problem solve. To think through things and unearth next steps and solutions. I remembered that when faced with strange situations at inopportune times, I’ve got what it takes to work it through.
Have I gone into the appliance repair business? No. I’m sharing this with you because right now there is a whole lot of craziness unfolding in our world. The message that came through loud and clear is that individually and collectively we have what it takes to discover next steps and discern new pathways, in uncharted territory. You may find yourself facing an unknown right now or in the near future, but YOU are not an unknown.
Similar to how I suddenly discovered mildew growing in my dishwasher one fine morning, you may suddenly one day see something that has remained hidden. You will likely ask similar questions when faced with the reality before you, I invite you to include these in the mix too:
What are my strengths in challenging situations?
What other times have I faced tough choices in my life - how did I make it through?
How can I apply my mad skills, the stuff I do know, to the current situation?
Trust that you have what it takes to address the situation at hand. Call on support when you need to. Draw on your wisdom, your experience, your know how. Trust that whatever you're facing, it's figureoutable. It might take longer than a moment or a day, but you'll get there.
Thank you for trusting me to share with you what I’m seeing and learning about navigating these strange and curious days. We are all in this together and I truly believe that we’ve got this
