Free Yourself from Either/Or Thinking

Far too often, our limitations result from worldviews with implicit either/or parameters.
http://outoftheboxcoaching.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-following-dilemma-was-offered-as.html?m=1

Here are some common ones:

One:  "Either do what I should or do what I want."
Two:  "Either meet others' needs or meet my own."
Three:  "Either succeed or have my own emotional life."
Four:  "Either be accepted or be my authentic self."
Five:  "Either have what I need or share."
Six:  "Either be safe or be creative."
Seven:  "Either have fun or fulfill commitments."
Eight:  "Either be strong or be vulnerable."
Nine:  "Either let others have their way or have my own way."

You can open yourself to new possibilities by thinking in terms of both/and:

First, identify the key components of the "either" and the "or" (think of one as X and the other as Y). You may think, for example, that interrupting someone (X) is rude (Y).

Then push your both/and button by asking "How can I do both X and Y?" You might ask, for example, "How can I interrupt in a way that is not rude?" or "How can I interrupt in a way that is considerate?"

Credit : Priabpran