Don’t sweat the small stuff. Stress is a silent thief. Stress will sneak up and rob you of your health, your happiness,create turmoil in your relationships, and mess with your ability to think clearly. Life is fleeting and if you spend a lot of time worrying, or complaining about the little annoyances that we face day in and day out, you’ll be wasting so much good time. Every one of us has ups and downs every day of our lives. You are not alone. If you let the downs affect your attitude, you’ll be busy fussing and whining and you just might miss the ups.
Some times we all over look the bigger picture and complain about trivia. Let me give you an example. My husband is tall and I am not. When he would drive my car, he would move the position of my seat so that it would be comfortable for him and his long legs. Of course, he would always forget to put it back into the position that I am comfortable driving at. I used to let his carelessness annoy me to no end .When I was in a rush in the morning to leave the house. I would complain, dispute the fact that it takes less than a second or two to move the seat back, adjust the rearview mirror, and position the side view mirrors. I would grumble that all too frequently my husband neglected to return the seat to my position.
A few months ago, I had a cervical laminectomy (neck fusion). While I was recovering, with limited mobility because I wore a neck collar, I had a great deal of time to reflect on my attitude, my life, and how easily I took things for granted. Why did I allow a small and frivolous thing such as the seat position in my car to give me a reason to fret? How petty and silly of me. I took for granted the wonder privilege that I could jump into my car and go anywhere I wanted, any time I wanted, on my own, until my driving became restricted during my three month healing period after my cervical fusion. I am ashamed of myself. Some people don’t even own a car because they cannot afford one.
So much time is wasted complaining about little annoyances. If we would spend as much time thinking about the pleasures and the freedom that we do enjoy in our lives, I think every day would become brighter than the day before. Often we have to be faced with a loss before we appreciate the blessings in our life. Now, I always remind myself of all the great stuff in my life, as I work at over looking the small little annoyances. This is a goal I work towards everyday.
Here are a few tips on how to not sweat the small stuff:
1. I make an effort not to take anything for granted, no matter how small. Try it, it’s a really good method of mood control.
2. Always remember that all those wonders (no matter how small) that you enjoy in your life could be gone in an instance and you will surely miss them.
3. Just say thank you for the gifts you have in your life. You will be surprised at how much better your mindset will become.
4. Think about the people you love and let them know you love them. Watch and see how much more love you will receive in return.
5. Think about the freedom you enjoy in your life and the grateful for it.
I guarantee your spirit, your life, and your relationships with flourish in the light of your gratitude and appreciation.
