5 Ways to Stop Stressing About Small Things

If we thought about time the same way we thought about money, we would probably be a lot more careful on how we spent it, don't you think? At least, I think that counts for the most of us.

We all have the same 24-hours in a day. 86.400 seconds. Let's say that time is the currency on our life balance, like a dollar, or in my case a Euro, is on our bank balance - then 86.400 is quite a big deposit every single day. Let's say we sleep a nice 8 hours a night - then 28.800 will be withdrawn from our life balance, which causes a 57.600 seconds left. On average, this is the time we spend awake, doing what we do every single day. However, we experience negative events almost on a daily base and these negative events have a bad influence on our balance in our "life account". Often times, these negative events are little things, such as someone bumping into you when you're walking on the streets. Someone who cuts you off in traffic. Someone at work who pisses you off. When you are waiting for an email you are expecting, or waiting in general. 

We live in a fast-paced instant gratification world, ladies and gentlemen. Waiting a few minutes just pisses us off, right? When we surf on the internet and a web page doesn't load instantly, we're tempted to go to another website. That's just how it works these days. The waiting just takes a few seconds, but it probably pisses you off longer than that. This works as well for the other examples I just mentioned. Sometimes we hold onto those negative feelings for hours, or even maybe the rest of the day! Take the example of someone pissing you off at work! A rude colleague or a boss who nags at you can be pretty messed up, right? The negative emotions you're experiencing could really take the entire day, and this REALLY hurts your life balance, ladies and gentlemen. You will spend a big part of the balance in your life account worrying, being stressed, and I know the key to spend it more wisely. However, it's easier said than done because it all has to do with letting go. 

Letting go is so powerful, ladies and gentlemen. This season made me thought of it. Autumn, fall - shows us the beauty of letting go! We can experience a lot more happiness, every single day if we would let go more. But how, Wesley? How do I let go certain things more quickly, in order to be happier, healthier and to maximize my life? Well, let me share with you what's helped me along my journey. 

1. Stressing doesn't change the situation

It is very important to realize that stress is not causing change (at least, not for the better!). Instead of stressing, choose to breathe. Breathe for a second! Breathing instantly lowers your blood pressure and gives you time to calm down. And when you're calmed down, you can ask yourself 1 question which determines the action you'll take - Ask yourself if the thing that's stressing you is within your control span, or not. If you can do something about it, then take action. If not, then just let it go. Thinking about this - choosing to let it go is also some kind of control. You are in control when you are allowing yourself to let it go. This is so powerful! And sometimes, letting go means we have to forgive, which brings us to the second point and that is to forgive. 

2. Forgiveness is magical

Practicing forgiveness is magical, and in this blog post we're talking about not sweating the small stuff, remember? Because of course, some things are easier to forgive than other things, but the little things, ladies and gentlemen... Come on! Just forgive that person who bumped into you on the streets. Just forgive that waitress who forgot about your coffee. Just forgive that person who cut you off on the freeway. It's just not worth it to stay upset about such things! 

I used to get upset SO easily! I could go mad when they forgot to add sauce to my order. I could go mad if someone was a dick in traffic. I could go completely mad when things just didn't go my way! But hey, let me tell you a secret - life will never be exactly how you want it to be. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it so change your focus! Remember that whatever you focus on, grows. 

3. Shift your focus

This brings us to the next point, because if you will focus on the negative, you will be feeding it and it will grow. Cut the weeds in your garden and feed your flowers, my dear readers. This regards not only the small stuff but with everything. Focus on the possibilities for success, not on the potential for failure. Stressing about the small stuff won't make your life more successful in any way, shape or form. Focus on the balance in your life account and spend it wisely! Be grateful for every second you have and don't take life for granted! 

4. Practice gratefulness

That's another point I want to address here. Practice gratefulness, ladies and gentlemen! Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. It matters so much and I really want to emphasize this. 

Find ways to practice gratefulness on a daily base and you'll turn your life around for the better. The trick about practicing gratefulness the right way, is to not be just grateful, but the know WHY you are grateful for something. The more you understand what and why you’re grateful for something, the greater your vision for recognizing other things to be grateful for. Being grateful for the small things also magnifies your gratitude for bigger things. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without being afraid of getting bankrupt. 

What helps me a lot regarding practicing gratefulness is getting my butt into nature, which is the next and last point which I'll be addressing in this blog post. 

5. Get your butt into nature!

When I'm into nature, it's just me, myself and I. No distractions, only conversations between me and my thoughts. When spending time in nature I am not only enjoying the environment, the smell and the fresh air, but I am also reflecting, practicing mindfulness and gratefulness. The fact that I'm able to spend time in nature is something to be grateful for on itself! And not only practicing mindfulness and gratefulness happens here in nature, but because of those practices it will be easier to let go of the small things we are easily stressed about. 

When I'm in nature I am constantly learning. Just to mention an example, in nature I am thinking about that person last week which I bumped into on the street, realizing that it wasn't worth it to be so worried about it. It is THIS place where I am thinking of the person who cut me off this afternoon on the freeway, realizing it's not worth it to waste my energy on that event. Because I spend time simply on reflecting past events, I learn how to deal with them in the future, therefore becoming a better human being and therefore becoming a happier human being! Get your butt into nature ladies and gentlemen! There is so much to enjoy and to learn in nature. We are meant to be there. Sometimes it just gives me a weird feeling when I'm walking on the streets looking at houses, seeing all those people watching television - which is only trying to tell their vision. All that bullshit on the television is reprogramming you, that's why they call it television programs. Just joking, but there is a sense of truth in it. However, this is not something to talk about in this blog post because today we talk about 5 ways to stop stressing about small things.

So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. May this post serve you well! I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and to share this post with anyone who could possibly benefit from it.