Feeling Stressed? Try a Different Perspective

What problems, worries, or frustrations have been on your mind recently?

Lately, we’ve been concerned about the cost of out-of-state tuition for our daughter as she starts college. The reality of the student debt she’s going to incur makes us wonder if we should have pushed harder to persuade her to stay in-state. She’s wanted to go to college far away from home for years, and she’s the kind of person who knows what she wants.

My perspective shifted after talking to a family member who is deeply troubled about their grandson’s struggles with drugs and brushes with the law. It’s a relief for them that he’s currently in jail, as at least they know he’s somewhat safe. And then, I was reminded of a friend whose son has some challenges and has no motivation to go to school or get a job. He just wants to stay in his bedroom and play video games.

Phew! I’ll take the stress of my daughter’s debt any day over the stress of these other families.

Lately, we’ve also had frustrations with a home project. We decided to replace our garden fence, which was meant to keep the deer away. My husband, who’s pretty handy, took on the task, but it’s been more frustrating and time-consuming than we ever expected.

But then my perspective changes when I pause and think about the work I’ve been doing with Dr. Lori Bouchard. I assist her with Discovery Calls for people with cancer who are seeking alternative treatments. Every week, I hear from individuals who are dissatisfied with their current treatment or are grappling with cancer’s recurrence. Their situation and fear remind me to appreciate my health and to realize my other stressors are temporary and small.

I’m not saying we should pretend our challenges don’t exist, but often if we look around, we can put them into a different perspective so they seem more manageable.