Our car broke down on the way to our family holiday. I’m not a great fan of driving, get scared when mechanical things break, and so freaked out somewhat. We had a boot full of stuff, a brother waiting en-route for a pick-up, and I found myself having a good desperate cry.

Then in to my mind, came a question: What do I want this to mean? I’d heard this question from a fellow coach who used it to find meaning in a personal tragedy. With regards this relatively insignificant event, it flipped a switch in my mind immediately. It changed the direction of my thoughts, reminding me that we get to choose the meaning we assign to any event.

Opening to that question turned the experience in to an adventure. Coming out of my closed, anxious state, I went and spoke to the manager of the petrol station; his name was Star and he was, helping push our car to the side of the forecourt and offering us free tea and coffee with a warm smile. We had brief, friendly connections withother drivers who pulled alongside us, asking if we needed help.

I was nervous as I phoned our breakdown recovery service as we’d recently switched from a more well-known provider. We chose the ETA (Environmental Transport Association) because they campaign for sustainable transport, promote car-free days, and extol the benefits of cycling… but when it came to the crunch, how would they fare on the service that we were actually paying for?

Well… the recovery vehicle was with us in 40 minutes (much quicker than the last organisation). The mechanic, Shaun, was extremely helpful and patient, talking us through the process, giving us options, allowing us as much time as we needed to weigh up costs and make our decision. He was passionate about his work and was able to fix the car so that we could continue our journey. He even phoned a few hours later to check everything was still okay.

By the time we were on the road again, we were even cheerier than we’d been at the start of the journey, full of respect for good people doing good work. The choice was to see this occurrence as an opportunity to connect with people we wouldn’t normally be in contact with and acknowledge them for their superlative work. It became a chance to experience first-hand whether our ethical breakdown cover was any good in practice, which has given me the opportunity to promote it here to hundreds of people. It was also a timely reminder that we are always meaning-makers, not the passive victims of life’s circumstances.

The World Needs Your Passion, So…

This week, catch yourself responding to challenges. Notice your default – the stories you tell yourself about what’s happening, and then interrupt yourself with this question: What do I want this to mean? No matter how big or small the challenge, decide what interpretation you want to give it. Notice what it’s like to consciously choose your perspective and therefore the response you have – both in how you feel and the actions you take.

© Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2008

** Choosing the meaning you assign to events is an integral part of the one-to-one coaching journey. To find out what difference this could make to you, simply register for a free consultation **

If you join the ETA and quote my membership number – -10208853 – you’ll receive 3 months breakdown cover for free. You’ll be helping fund ETA’s sustainable travel campaigning as well as funding projects such as re-planting rainforests & providing energy-saving lightbulbs to small communities in the developing world. Call now 0800 212 810 or visit www.eta.co.uk