One Story. One Lesson. One Better Week.
Years ago, I learned a distinction that has stayed with me:
“Reality is what’s so. It’s also, so what?”
I’ve probably used it thousands of times since.
And lately, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to practice it.
Two knee replacements.
Rehab.
Pain.
Setbacks.
Getting better.
Then another setback.
There have definitely been days when I’ve thought:
Seriously? We’re doing this again?
I love playing pickleball. I love working out. I love being active.
And my body hasn’t always cooperated with the plan.
I can complain about that.
I can wish my knees were different.
I can compare myself to what I could do five years ago.
But none of that changes what’s so.
Reality is what’s so.
Okay.
It’s also, so what?
There’s another saying I’ve always loved:
“It’s easier to ride the horse in the direction it’s going.”
That doesn’t mean I have to like where the horse is going.
It means I stop wasting energy trying to convince the horse it should be somewhere else.
First, deal with where you actually are. Then decide where you want to go.
Maybe I modify the workout.
Maybe I change the way I play.
Maybe I rehab again.
Maybe I find another way around the obstacle.
But here’s what I’ve learned:
Arguing with reality doesn’t change reality.
It just uses up energy I could be spending doing something about it.
And this isn’t really an article about my knees.
It’s about life.
A deal falls apart.
Someone says no.
Interest rates go up.
A plan you were counting on changes.
Someone you love disappoints you.
Something happens that you absolutely did not want to happen.
That’s what’s so.
The more interesting question is:
So what?
Not Who cares?
Not It doesn’t matter.
And certainly not Give up.
To me, “So what?” means:
Okay. This happened.
What am I going to do with it?
That’s where possibility begins.
This Week, Try This…
The next time life gives you something you didn’t order, give yourself a moment.
Then separate two things.
What’s so?
Those are the facts.
Then:
So what?
That’s the part you get to participate in.
You may not always get to choose reality.
But you get a whole lot of say in what you do with it.
And if you’re going to ride the horse anyway…