Find yourself stressing out a lot? I’ve felt that way over my business or over my to-do list. Life can become an endless round of running from one thing to another.
Beating yourself up over what hasn’t been done yet, or what wasn’t done the way you wanted.
Well, it’s time to accept that there will always be something undone. There will always be something to be done and more things that you want to start doing. It’s called life. And in our culture, being on an endless treadmill isn’t just normal, it’s expected.
But there’s a way out. Really.
Here are some suggestions.
1. Just stop running. Stop it. Take a breath and decide what your priorities are. Everything does not have the same level of importance. If you’re not sure how to decide, find someone else to brainstorm with. Someone on the outside will be able to see what you’re too overwhelmed to see.
2. Turn off the news. A steady diet of mass media news is a sure way to stress yourself to the max. It’s all bad news all the time, and the more drama the better. Don’t worry about missing out, there are a lot of other ways to keep up with current events. I haven’t watched a news program in years, and I haven’t missed anything major. Besides, if the sky really does fall, believe me, you’ll find out.
3. Surrender. It’s really not a bad word. It doesn’t mean being defeated. What it does mean is that you allow your life to flow. Instead of fighting against the tide, you roll with it. Trust your intuition to guide you when things are unclear.
4. Start where you are right now. I’ve been stressed over promoting my business, my books, my radio show–I had to stop and get off the merry-go-round of stress. Right now, I can only do what I can do. And whatever I can do is enough. If it’s not, it will have to be. Accepting that will lead to a whole lot of relief. It takes practice, though.
5. Get some rest. Being busy does not equal being productive. Are you accomplishing anything? Or just running? Burning yourself out won’t help. In fact, it’ll make you more stressed out and probably sick as well.
6. Stop worrying about what bad thing might happen. There are lots of possibilities, and most of them won’t ever happen. Why stress over a possibility? It takes as much effort to visualize a positive outcome. So why not do that instead? Unless, of course you enjoy worrying. In that case, carry on.
7. Smell the flowers. Take the time to enjoy the moment you’re in. Otherwise, what’s the point of it all? You’re running and chasing and trying to get someplace–why? What’s it all for? Take a break. Turn off the electronics, get quiet and let the world go by. It might surprise you just how well it turns without you monitoring it every minute.
I’m a recovering Type A person who’s working hard to stay in the moment. I know it’s not easy to slow it down. You’ll have a lot of resistance to it. But how much is it worth to you?
Copyright © 2014 Deborah A. Bailey
Photo Credit: Wellington Sanipe