I think not sweating the small stuff is perhaps one of the most important pieces of advice everyone should consider and master. Wood explains that knowing that perceptions are subjective, you might remind yourself not to focus on aspects of friendships that you dislike or find bothersome (p.270). This should also be considered with coworkers, family members and romantic relationships. I think many times people are selfish and are only concerned with how they feel or what they perceive. It is ok to feel this way but one must always keep in mind the bigger picture and realize we live in a world where there are bigger issues. I believe with a little communication anything can be solved, and we truly must not sweat the small stuff.
When I was in a bad place in my life and blamed my mother for things that went wrong in my life, along with internally beating myself up for not achieving my goals when I had planned and falling through with things, I picked up the book, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, by Richard Carlson. This book single handedly helped me get through my depression and take a different outlook on life. I was able to leave my irreparable relationship I was in and not feel guilty about it nor place the blame on anyone or myself. I learned to simply except things for what they were and work to make them better. I learned, that you can keep running from disappointments in your life, but it's not until you truly embrace the past, that you are able to move forward. From that day on I made a vow to myself, that I would not let petty things get in may way. My mother always told me, whatever problem you have, someone out there in the world has the same problem but twice as bad. In other words, no matter what, I'll survive.
The world is a big place and there is a lot more to life out there, and stressing over someone or something small is not worth anyone's precious time.
That clip was perfect for this blog. It really does put things into perspective when we take a moment to step back and look at the big picture. I am definitely guilty of sweating over the small, medium, and big things. I wish it wasn't that way. I know I am in a better place when I am able to let go of the little things but sometimes it seems like I don't have any control over my anxiety. Do you have any advice on how to let go of the little things when you care about everything?
ReplyDeleteIt is very hard to not let things bother you, I trained myself to not worry so much because my anxiety was so bad at one point I would get panic attacks and became afraid of driving. First of all this might sound silly but deep breaths always help, since anxiety begins to take over your nervous system. After a while, I began using the "I don't care" approach which helps but then I felt like I was being too passive about things and felt like I really was not caring, when in fact I did. Now, I have been through so much in my life, everything now seems like a piece of cake compared to what it was before, faith and trust in yourself will get you to relax. I realized that nothing is to serious, where you will not come out alive, and accept things for what they are. Simply tell yourself, "I can do this," self talk really works, give everything your best and God will take care of the rest, trust me. What are some of your biggest stressors?
ReplyDeleteWow, that was really good advice. A lot of my stressors come from not knowing what is to come in the future and the fear of failure. I have found deep breaths to help when dealing with a stressful situation at work or at home. Overall, I think I just carry my daily worries on my shoulders and at the end of the day I am so tired and lack joy. I think you are absolutely right in saying that for now, I need to surrender control to God and use self talk when I find myself doubting my abilites. You are wise beyond your years.
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