I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.
Today’s tip is to take a small step to overcome a problem or worry.
I have lots of projects and tasks. I have lots of things that I need to handle and keep going in life. Some are work items, some personal, some family oriented, some for friends.
One problem I’ve had this spring and summer is keeping up with some maintenance and improvement around the ranch. I’ve had too much travel and then surgery get in the way of things. During one trip, my son called to say that a leaf spring on our hay trailer had broken. I couldn’t do much remotely, so I had him take a picture and then measure the working side.
Small step 1: I looked around online while in the airport and found one for sale and ordered it. Fingers crossed.
Small step 2: I went out to look at the trailer the next week when I was home (and healthy). I found the spring broken. You can see the edge of it below.
Not much to be done that day, but I balanced out the lifted trailer with jack stands on each side so the frame didn’t warp.
Small step 3: I went out and start to remove the old spring nuts and bolts. I got the axel attachment off, but the bolt holding the old spring to the frame wouldn’t move. I tried pulling on it, banging on the wrench, and spraying Liquid Wrench on the bolt. Eventually I got tired, frustrated, and went to get a drink.
I wrote this a few days ago, and that was when I took this small step.
Small step 4: I went and got some more liquid wrench and sprayed it on. That’s it.
Big step 5: The next day I went out and used a breaker bar and got the bolt to turn. I was able to get it out and my daughter helped me fit the new leaf spring on and tighten all the bolts.
It wasn’t as satisfying to take days to get this fixed, but some patience and a few small steps worked out well.