Eliminate stress with this one simple trick

Do you ever feel overwhelmed?  Like the weight of the world is resting on your shoulders and you are slowly smothering?

It happens to all of us.

What if there was something you could do, that would lift that burden off of you.  And because it was lifted, you could feel light again and breathe deep.

I am going to tell you a simple and effective technique for managing stress.

I am not talking about large problems, such as the tragic news of a child’s injury or loved one’s death.   (But it can still help a little even in the most dire circumstances.)  I am mainly talking about your day to day life.

It’s all about gratitude.

If you build a daily practice of gratitude, I am sure you will change your perspective tremendously and be able to handle the inconveniences of life in a more positive way.

When you are stressed, acknowledge your stress. Now, acknowledge that your emotions are under your control. Next, think about the things you are grateful for. Think about something in that moment that makes you happy.

It is almost impossible to be grateful and upset at the same time.  If your gratitude is large enough, it can take over your mindset and make you feel better immediately.

Let me give you an example.

Recently, a water pipe broke outside my house. Instead of becoming upset, I took this as a learning opportunity to be grateful.  I was able to determine the problem and find a solution (grateful for my mind).  I had to call a friend.  So, this gave me an opportunity to connect with a friend (grateful for friendship).   I had to go to the hardware store.  So, this gave me an opportunity to get out of the house, enjoy my community, and interact with helpful people (grateful for community).  It was a good experience.   The pipe broke, but it made my day better.

What about at work?  Do you have a deadline?  Is your boss unreasonable?  Are your coworkers petty?  Find a way to be thankful about each situation. Get creative.  Write things down if needed.  Try to pick random moments of your day and find something to be thankful for.  And smile randomly.  You may find you have changed your emotional set point.  You may find it takes more than some little inconvenience to throw you for a loop.

Gratitude will make you pause and reflect.

It can change your perspective.

Your emotions are under your control.

YOU are in control.

The best way to practice gratitude is by being grateful.  Is that redundant?  My point is, start now.

“And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘If this isn’t nice,  I don’t know what is'”

-Kurt Vonnegut