Kamara Marsh

As with all summers, we see a lot of construction work going on around town. It has been no different with my neighborhood this year. We were originally notified that we would be having road construction at the end of last summer. It ended up delayed due to delays with other construction projects in the area.

Earlier this year, I received notification from the city about the 10-week road water pipe replacement project that would begin in late April. This meant that I would not have use of my driveway or street for 10 weeks, which meant I would need to find an alternative place to park my car as well as a place to put my garbage out for pick-up.

I had just completed extensive indoor plumbing and electrical work. This also happened to be a time when I was doing a lot of art shows and having to tote my artwork to and from the gallery. So, this meant a lot of walking, loading and unloading my vehicle from a distance. It ended up being a positive thing for me though, because I was able to easily get my 10,000 daily steps in.

The construction on my street began as planned. The weather was cooperative that day. Three large earth movers appeared and began breaking up the cement road and then the curbs. This went on for about a week or two, and was a pretty loud process. It literally caused my house to shake and there were times when my belongings fell off shelves and walls.

That ended up being the least of my worries. My house was one of just a few that needed pipe work redone in my yard. This meant that they would be digging all the way up to my house to replace it. This also happened to be the area where we park and use to get from the house to the sidewalk.

I wasn’t made aware that this work needed to be done until the day they wanted to do it. However, the city workers were amazingly polite and gave me a choice of having it done on another day if this one didn’t work for me. I actually didn’t have any clients to see that day. So, I gave the go ahead for them to proceed with the work.

They wasted no time digging my yard up, and they brought in the biggest earth mover of all to do it. I stood by my dining room window watching the giant scoop barely graze the side of my house. Two or three adults could fit inside the bucket of this thing and it was digging about four feet or so deep into the ground. The pipe they replaced ended up being the size of a garden hose and actually looked like one as it was bendable. I was in awe of how much work they got done in such a short time.

It wasn’t long before they were done with the process. I came out and stood gazing at my yard in disbelief. What used to be a lush flat green landscape just hours ago now looked like a debris field. There were uneven clumps of grass and mounds of dirt everywhere and even some artifacts that had been dug up. What a mess!

On top of all of that, there were mounds of dirt and sand that had spilled out all over my driveway. This meant that I had no clear way to get out to my sidewalk. This also happened to be the beginning of sandal wearing season for me. At first, I chose to make do with the situation and walk through the dirt anytime I needed to leave the house. However, this got old fast and I was disgusted at how dirty my feet were.

After about a week or two of doing this, I decided enough was enough. I really needed to figure out how to clear the dirt out of the driveway. However, the trucks were not working on my street that week. There wasn’t that much dirt, so I figured I could do the job myself. Now, the question was how would I get this done?

At first, I thought about using a regular shovel but mine was small and pointed and didn’t pick up that much dirt at one time. Besides, my shoulder gives me problems on occasion, so this wouldn’t work. Then I thought about my leaf blower, but soon discovered that the charger was broken. I wanted to get this project done that day, so that wouldn’t work either.

I stood there for a while looking at the dirt pile trying to figure out what I could do. Then I decided to go look inside my shed to see what I had in there. I stood in the doorway of the shed for a while scanning over the contents inside.

I needed to think outside the box. There was a lot of stuff in there, mostly gardening and yard grooming items. I moved my broken leaf blower aside. My eyes became fixed on the snow shovels that were piled up leaning on the far wall. The wheels inside my head began to turn.

One of the shovels is big and is the kind that you don’t have to pick up. You just push it to move the snow where you want it to go. “Perfect,” I thought to myself, “That’s exactly what I need!”

It was really hot that day and I was in shorts. I decided to go put rain boots on to protect my feet from getting dirty. So, there I stood at the end of my driveway in shorts and rain boots during the month of June in 90-degree weather pushing sand around with a large snow shovel. What a sight I was! Yet, it was working and I was able to quickly move the sand and dirt out of the way. I chose to ignore my neighbors and road workers who were begining to take notice of me. I remembered the words of my aunt who once told me to “do what you gotta do”… and so I did.

It didn’t take more than a half an hour to get all the sand removed from the drive that day. When I was finished, I felt good about how quickly I was able to solve my problem. This caused to me recall all of the other times when I creatively thought outside the box to get from one point to another in my life.

“Thinking outside the box” is an idiom that means to think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective (Wikipedia). This ability seems to be a strength for me and something I do with ease. However, many struggle with stepping outside of their comfort zones. I often see this in my private counseling practice. So, here’s a model that will help you be a better problem solver.

First, identify what the actual problem is, as well as develop a goal for solving it. Then brainstorm as many solutions for the problem as possible. Consider asking others for help in this process. Then weigh the pros and cons to every solution that was identified. After this is done, choose a “set”of solutions so as to have a back-up plan in the event that the first choice doesn’t work. Carry out the plan for solving the problem. Finish the process by evaluating whether or not the problem was solved. If not, go back to list of solutions and pick the next one. Keep repeating this process until the problem is solved.

We think outside the box when we’re willing to take risks. We think outside the box when we are willing to challenge assumptions. We think outside the box when we’re willing to break away from established norms. We think outside the box when we approach problems and situations with an open mind. We think outside the box when we identify overlooked opportunities. We think outside the box when we use our imagination to create new possibilities.

So, next time you find yourself facing a difficult situation, I challenge you to gather up the courage and determination to step outside your comfort zone, your proverbial “box.” You’ll be pleasingly surprised where it can take you and what you can accomplish when you do.

Kamara Marsh is a Michigan-made Licensed Professional Counselor and award-winning artist from East Lansing now residing in Alpena, where she combines her gifts of art and healing to reach the world, one person at a time. She can be reached at esimorp@att.net.