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I am sure a lot of us are using this time to relax, reflect or work on things that needed to get done. One of the things I have been doing was to try and work on meditating to relieve stress. I am always on GO MODE and because I juggle a lot of businesses and projects, I tend to get stressed easily. I also like to have control over all aspects of my business and when something is out of my control, I begin to stress and worry.
I have learned that there’s a brutal truth about life that some people refuse to accept—you have no control over many of the things that happen to you. People who resist this truth fall into two categories- control freaks or worry warts. I have a little bit of each of those in me lol! Control freaks believe if they can gain enough control over others, and the situations they find themselves in, they can somehow prevent bad things from happening. Worry- warts, on the other hand, worry about everything from natural disasters to deadly diseases.
Here are a few ways to stop stressing about the things you can’t control:
Map out what you can control.
In reality, there are many things in life you have zero control over. You can’t force your spouse to change, you can’t prevent a storm from happening, and you can’t control how other people feel. Right now – you can’t control how this Coronavirus is changing our daily lives. Sometimes, all you can control is your effort and your attitude. When you put your energy into the things you can control, you’ll be much more effective.
Identify your fears/worries.
Are you predicting a catastrophic outcome? Do you doubt your ability to cope with an undesirable outcome? Usually, the worst- case scenario isn’t as horrible as you might imagine. But quite often, people are so busying thinking, “This is going to be a disaster,” that they don’t take the time to ask themselves, “What would I do if the worst case scenario came true?” Acknowledging that you can handle the worst- case scenario can help you put your energy into more productive places.
Focus on your influence.
You can’t force things to go your way. But you can have a strong influence.
So while you can’t make your child be a good student, you can give him the tools he needs to do his best. And while you can’t force people to have fun at a party, you can create the best party atmosphere possible. To have the most influence, however, you need to be in control of your behavior. So do your best and keep a good attitude. When you have concerns about someone else’s choices, share your opinion, but only share it once. Don’t try to fix people who don’t want to be fixed.
Differentiate between ruminating and problem-solving.
Replaying yesterday’s conversations in your head and dwelling on catastrophic outcomes isn’t helpful. But solving a problem is. So ask yourself whether you’re ruminating or problem-solving. If you are seeking solutions, keep thinking about ways to prevent problems and increase your chances of success.
If you’re ruminating, however, change the channel in your brain. Acknowledge that your thoughts aren’t helpful. Get involved in an activity that will distract you for a few minutes and get your brain focused on something more productive.
Create a stress management plan.
Whether life is going well or you’re encountering tough times, stress management strategies are key to performing at your peak. Exercising, eating healthy, participating in leisure activities and getting plenty of sleep are just a few key things you need to do to take care of yourself.
Schedule time to engage in healthy stress relievers. Whether you enjoy yoga or you want to spend time with friends, make time for those activities regardless of how busy you are. Also, be on the lookout for unhealthy coping skills. Drinking too much, binge watching TV, and complaining may offer temporary relief, but they’ll create more problems for you over the long-term.
Develop healthy affirmations.
Scientists estimate people have about 70,000 thoughts per day. Many of those thoughts incite feelings of self-doubt, fear, and discouragement. Keeping a few positive healthy affirmations on hand can help combat negative thinking. So whether you remind yourself, “I’m stronger than I think,” or “I can handle this,” your affirmations can help drown out the negativity. With practice, you can train your brain to think differently. And you’ll begin to accept that while you can’t control every situation, you can control how you think, feel, and behave.
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Check out my post on steps to stay motivated.