We live in a big, chaotic world. There's always something going on- somethings are great, while others are rather horrible. Either way, this world causes stress to us as human beings. Whether it be a lack of control, uncertainty, spreading ourselves too thin, or some other cause, human beings experience stress on a daily basis. We may not be able to control everything that goes on around us, but there are a few things we could all afford to do and keep in mind to help limit the amount of stress on us-
1. Take life one day at a time.
As humans, we often spread ourselves too thin. We put so much on our plates that sometimes it seems like we will not be able to get through it. When this happens to me, I like to see one day at a time. I look at each day as a new challenge, and try to celebrate each small accomplishment. The influence caused by a change in mind-set is truly remarkable.
2. Plan plan plan.
As good as it is do see each day individually, it is also important to plan for the future to avoid being blindsided by what may lie ahead. Personally, I am a huge list maker. When I have a lot going on, I make excruciatingly detailed checklists of everything I am doing and everything I have to get accomplished in the day. I literally plan out just about every waking hour of the day. Obviously, things are going to come up that I did not plan for, but this really helps me to stay organized, and again, whenever I cross something off my list, I celebrate that small accomplishment.
3. Remember to make time for what you love.
Sometimes we get so caught up in all the work that needs to be done that we forget to make time to do something that we enjoy. Obviously, as busy people, we cannot devote every minute to leisure activities, or something else that we enjoy doing. However, no matter how busy you may be, there should always be a little bit of time devoted to doing something that makes you happy. Even better is when your work becomes your happiness, or you happiness becomes your work.
4. It's okay to say no sometimes.
I struggle a lot with this one. More often than not, I want to please people. I love doing things for other people, and I feel so incredibly bad when I can't. However, as much as we may want to do everything, there simply may not be enough hours in a day. We are not superhuman, and we need to remember.
5. Keep in mind that things are not always going to be perfect, and that is okay.
Failure is not necessarily a bad thing. As long as you give what you are doing your all, do all that you possibly can to succeed, and learn from the experience regardless of the outcome, then I can hardly even see that as a failure at all.
6. Remember, the sun always rises and sets.
No matter what, the days keep moving on. There is always a new beginning, and no matter what happened the day before, there is still always going to be hope for tomorrow. Life will always go on... sometimes faster than we want it to.
