There are very few certainties in life, but one you can pretty much rely on is that something in your day will be totally beyond your control. You wash the car, it rains. You organise a night out with friends, we go into lockdown! It’s all part of this cray cray thing called life. The trick is not to let this small stuff get in the way of you having a great time. Life is not just about earning a dollar or doing the housework just so we can live another day. It’s about creating laughter, love, memories and happiness along the way.
Cardiologist and author of the book “Is it worth dying for?”, Robert Eliot nailed it when he said “Rule #1 is, Don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule #2 is, It’s all small stuff. And if you can’t fight and you can’t flee, flow.” (Yep, you can use that as your new mantra!) Eliot conceived the term “hot reactor” to describe people who have volatile physiological reactions to small life events that don’t go their way, and it’s this over reaction that’s so detrimental to our bodies. Physiologically, the heart and blood vessels are put under critical pressure and the body works itself into a hot, sweaty mess. YES! Even your body is telling you not to sweat the small stuff.
If you find the small stuff freaking big, here are some tips to help you manage it:
Chill – If you’re salty about your ‘To do’ list, the wheels will not fall off if you pull up a pew and take a break. Reading, playing a game, drinking wine (my personal fave on the pew list), having a laugh on the phone, or taking a half hour nap might be exactly what your body needs to reduce stress.
Live a happy, balanced life – Who says every meal should be a Masterchef creation? Most of the time we stick to the rules, but sometimes you just need to go rogue, like breakfast for dinner! It’s simple, super satisfying, and a little bit naughty. Sitting on the couch indulging in a delicious bowl of Coco Pops or a stack of crunchy toast – manna from heaven!
Will this matter in a year? – If you are stressing over something, think about whether or not worrying about it will benefit you a year from now. Someone with more than 12 items in the express shopping lane (heavy sigh). A bad cup of coffee you paid $5 for (off with the Barista’s head!) Someone sitting in their car while you’re waiting, with your blinker clicking, for them to pull out of the parking space (blood boils just thinking about that one!)
If you are a stress head, then get that head into Richard Carlson’s book “Don’t sweat the small stuff”. He has some life altering gems like ”Surrender to the fact that life isn’t fair” and “Remember, one hundred years from now, all new people” (that one is epic!)
So, say goodbye to the small stuff and hello happy life!
