Nadine J Walters – My Life

Question for myself: What do you do when a project/situation hits a bump?

My answer: I just keep going.

Over the last couple of days, I’ve hit a few snags in things I’m working on. Yesterday, it was a challenging class with an odd mix of students. Today, it was a missing piece for a loveseat I was assembling. In both situations, my first instinct was to assume I had done something wrong.

Yesterday’s issue was particularly frustrating. I was leading a fascia class where students use rollers to follow a structured sequence. Normally, if students are regulars with a good awareness of their bodies, I don’t mind if they make small adjustments to fit their needs—they know what’s safe for them. Most of the class fell into this category. However, a few new students seemed to be in their own world, not following the routine and, more concerningly, doing things that were unsafe.

I kept redirecting them, trying to bring them back to the sequence, but they were always three steps behind, doing their own thing. The rest of the class was right on track, which made it all the more disconcerting. I found myself questioning my ability as an instructor, wondering if I had failed them in some way. But looking back, I realize there was nothing more I could have done. They were just in La-La Land, and short of constant redirection, their behavior wasn’t going to change. I had to let it go—and eventually, I did.

Today’s problem was different—no people involved, just a missing crossbar for a loveseat I had ordered for my art studio. I’ve gotten pretty adept at assembling furniture, so I felt confident—until I realized I was one piece short. I searched everywhere, thinking I had misplaced it. I even read through three sets of instructions, hoping maybe I didn’t actually need it. Turns out, I did.

My immediate reaction? Self-doubt. Did I lose it? Did I somehow mess this up? But then I took a step back. The solution was simple: assemble half the loveseat, email the company about the missing part, and wait for their response. And guess what? The half that’s assembled is super comfortable—I’m sitting on it as I type this. The company acknowledged my request, and I have no doubt they’ll send the missing piece soon. Easy as pie.

These two situations were different, yet the lesson was the same. When I slowed down and took a moment to reflect, the solutions were there. There was no need for blame, frustration, or self-doubt. No one was really hurt, nothing was beyond repair, and in the grand scheme of things, these were just minor bumps in the road.

Life will always throw unexpected challenges our way. But if we take a deep breath, trust ourselves, and tackle them one step at a time, we’ll get through just fine.