Don’t Sweat It!: 4 ways to Have More Peace and Less Stress

(Photo Credit to Kevion Latham) Press Play to listen to audio option.

As a nonprofit executive, father, husband, motivational speaker, blogger, former banker and anything else you want to add (hopefully all good), I know firsthand that life can be good and stressful sometimes. There are times when I am cool as cucumber and other times when I am sweating like a pig on his way to the market!

I am sure you can relate to my experiences as many of you have a lot going on and know that sometimes it can be hard to remain focused. You also have a lot of demands on your time, and juggling those priorities can be stressful. If you are a taskmaster like me, you are always thinking of something that needs to be done. And God bless mothers because they really have a lot on their plates trying to manage families and careers. If you are a stay-at-home mom or dad, you have a huge job managing a corporation known as your family!

I have definitely done my share of worrying, but it has only led to stress and anxiety over things that I cannot control. Although we cannot control the vicissitudes of life, we can change how we respond to them. You may be asking yourself, how can I have more peace, in spite of all the things going on around me? It is a myth that in order to have peace, everything must be calm as you sip tea or a margarita and listen to birds chirping while soaking up the sun on a beach.

Peace doesn’t mean the absence of challenges, trouble or controversy. It’s the ability to be calm in spite of everything around you! Peace is focusing on what you can control instead of what you cannot! And having faith that everything will work out in the end! This sentiment is something that I continue to discover as I navigate this thing called life. Having peace in the midst of the storm puts you in a better place mentally and physically, as we know stress can have adverse effects on the mind, body and soul.

Stress can cause: aches, pains, insomnia, stomach problems, lack of clear thinking, weaken your immune system, weight fluctuations, depression and more.

How can we stress less and have more peace? I’m glad you asked. You all are very inquisitive.

Four Ways to Have More Peace and Less Stress

1. Focus on What You Can Control – All you can do is all you can do! A father who was a new coach met the venerable Coach John Wooden and asked for his advice about coaching his son’s young team. John told him don’t worry about beating the other team but focus on what you can control! That is so important as we try to control things that we cannot and get ourselves all stressed out over things that are bigger than us. If we simply focus on what we can control, we will have more peace and get more accomplished. Don’t worry about what you cannot control.

2. Live life in Day-tight Compartments – This is a great principle lived by the late, great Dale Carnegie and coined by Sir William Osler who came across a quote from Thomas Carlisle, “It is our goal to see what lies dimly in the distance but to do what clearly lies at hand.” I first discovered this concept while reading Dale Carnegie’s How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. In this book, he talks about not focusing on the past and not thinking too far in the future, but living life in 24-hour compartments. Adopting this philosophy helps you focus and do what you can do within in a 24- hour block versus becoming overwhelmed by the past or what is a head. This principle is great for living a peaceful life. I suggest you give it a try. To learn more, click here.

3. Believe In Something Bigger than Yourself  — As a Christian, my faith is so important to me and helps immensely with stress. I have learned to put my concerns in God’s hand and trust that he will work them out. Wow, this principle is a major burden lifter for me! However, you have to find what works for you, but I strongly believe having faith in a higher power is a game changer and can give you peace that goes beyond logic or understanding!

4. Find an Outlet – Whether it’s painting, dancing, building model planes, hiking or engaging in another activity, it is important to have something that takes you away from it all and puts you in a place of peace. For some, it may be yoga; for me, it is exercising. I love to exercise. The mental and physiological effects are wonderful. Exercising is my drug of choice. If you have not discovered something that works for you, you need to explore until you find it!

So why are you stressing and sweating? Start focusing on what you can control. Start living in day-tight compartments and leveraging some of these recommendations for having more peace and less stress in your life.

Don’t sweat it my friend. Embrace the peace that is waiting for you!

Remember, Greatness Awaits You!

Carlos T. Carter
Founder & Chief Motivator
www.seeds2fruitmotivation.com

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