sit down and keep still

"Don't you know that four-fifths of all our troubles in this life would disappear if we would just sit down and keep still?" -Calvin Coolidge

This quote popped up on my Facebook feed today. It is simply marvelous, don't you think? See, some people are born knowing this. I am not one of those some people. I am part of the group I would like to call "tightrope talkers." This group feels the need to talk incessantly until problems are solved. Where some people would close their eyes, take a deep breath, and hurry across the proverbial tightrope, we try to talk it into the ground for fear of falling.Beating the dead horse? Yeah, that expression was created out of exasperation with a tightrope talker like myself.

The hope, of course, is that with increased verbage comes increased understanding. Well, that's generally not the case. Good communication isn't simply about knowing what to say; it's just as importantly knowing when to shut up. That's the hard part. Talking is easy. Talking fast is even easier. Shutting my mouth-- now that's a trick you can't learn in the circus. (Well, to be fair, maybe you can... Any circus people out there care to chime in?)

I think sometimes, once I've talked myself in a circle and someone else's ear off, how much I wish I could turn back the clock and just let it be. Like that Beatles song, minus the speaking words of wisdom part. Because that's precisely the problem. When your a tightrope talker like me, generally everything that comes out of the mouth with the intent of bringing a little wisdom to a situation just ends up being redundant or ridiculous or rhinoceros (just seeing if you're still paying attention).

Calmate, a friend much wiser than me use to tell me. Just calm yourself. Things look a little clearer with a little time to close your eyes, catch your breath, and walk that rope how it is. The rope can only get thinner with worry and wear, so just let that rope be that rope. Take it in stride. Then when you have reached the other side, "sit down and keep still."

I hope someday I will get this down. For the sake of time and sanity and really thin tightropes.Ya know?

How do you keep calm in difficult situations?