By U. Mahesh Prabhu

Problems are natural. But when they come you’ve to make a good effort to resolve it and on time before they turned into a crisis. Here’s a six-step Vedic Approach to resolving your personal problems – be that with your finances, relationships, career or something else.

1. Seek solitude

More than often people seek the company of friends and acquaintances in the hope to find a Solution for their problem. This is not a wise thing to do. You must know that the only person who can ever help you out of your situation is you – yourself. Other’s at best can only assist you. Therefore, try to isolate yourself and ensure that you don’t resort to nefarious things like drugs and narcotics. These substances while providing you with momentary relief tend to aggravate the problem at hand. Be assured that unless you don’t face the problems yourself – no viable solution is ever available. The best way to face the crisis is being in the company of the self.

2. Calm down

Whenever you are in crisis it’s natural for you to lose your mind and experience anxiety/panic attacks. This adds to the problem since such feelings of panic, anxiety or Fear – we often tend to lose our cool and take extreme decisions that often prove counterproductive. It’s, therefore, important to calm down, before taking any drastic measures. The best way to do it is to sit down in a comfortable position or lay down on the bed and, then, focus completely on your breathing. Try to regulate your breath; let you inhaling and exhaling be deep and steady. As you steadily focus on your breathing you’ll eventually see a drastic drop in anxiety and stress levels. Once you’ve calmed your mind try to relax further with good thoughts or even music. Remind yourself that neither Hope nor Fear are for real. They are both figments of your imagination. But, while Fear can bring the worst in you; Hope is sure to bring out best. No Fear is worthy of harnessing – just like every hope deserves persistent and careful nurture. Try some positive distraction. It could be a good book, movie, music or even spending time with your pet. Make sure these distractions aren’t negative in any sense, the book should be inspiring, the movie should be calming – not fear or emotions driven, music should be something that makes you feel better and pet should be one which loves cuddling and play.  This will give you a breather from your trouble and reset your thought process and put it in the right direction.

3. Find the root cause of your problem

Once your mind is calm, go back in time and try finding the root of the problem. Remember: There’s no effect (problem) without cause; no cause without effect. Revisit the circumstances, the people as well as the situation that led you to your prevailing problem. Ensure that you look it objectively. Don’t be critical of anyone – including yourself. Just look it in a way as you’d watch a movie – detached of emotions. Don’t be emotionally involved. Emotions are natural – yes – but they are often counterproductive during problem solving; positive as well as negative. Don’t even hate or curse anyone for a whatsoever reason. Try to see why someone did what they did. Don’t love or hate them – be indifferent. And enlist the possible reasons for the problem at hand. Once this is done rework on it until you are convinced you’ve analyzed the root cause.

4. Take Responsibility

For whatever has happened – always remember – you, yourself, are responsible. Don’t blame someone else – your stars, god(s), enemies or anyone else. Even if they played a role – it was you who brought it upon you through your actions. There’s nothing you can do if you blame someone else. The solution to any problem can be possible only when we take responsibility for it. Admit your mistakes, limitations as well as the lack of Knowledge. When you do it – you’ll be on the sure path to find solid, wise as well as lasting solutions to your problems.

5. Figure out the solution

You might be surprised to see what your mind can achieve when it’s calm and has taken responsibility for the situation. It’ll, in due course of time, present forth you a series of solutions for you to choose from. But make sure that when you choose a solution it’s bereft all negative emotional tendencies. Vedic wisdom suggests that: All efforts bereft of Lust, Anger, Infatuation, Greed, Ego, and Jealousy are sure to bring out good solutions, actions as well as good results. Make sure the aforesaid six negative tendencies are seldom followed; for they are problems in themselves. You can seldom solve a problem with another problem. Or can you? Problems are solved through solutions; they’re aggravated by working with more problem(s).

6. Work with persistence

When you start working on the solutions; your persistence is the key. You may or may not believe in luck. But you’ve nothing within in your purview in the idea of luck. Therefore, seek persistence. If you believe in something and work towards it – relentlessly – you stand a greater chance of attaining your objective –  a happy & prosperous life.