Want Less Stress? Three Common Truths We Commonly Forget
What are these common truths? You’ve probably heard them many times, even as a child, yet we often overlook them. However, they consistently prove themselves to be true.
- Life is not fair
- Things do not happen the way we want
- People are not perfect
Hearing and knowing these truths is NOT enough.
For example, we know that life is not fair. We’ve witnessed it many times in our own lives and in the lives of others. Yet, we continue to expect things to be fair. which wouldn’t be so bad, except then we get upset and frustrated when unfair things happen. And we replay them over and over, which reignites our frustration.
Now, I’m not suggesting we should passively sit by and let unfair things happen. If there’s a reasonable action we can take to improve the situation, we should consider it. However, many times, circumstances are beyond our control.
The same is true for the next two insights. We want (and expect) situations to happen a certain way. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, when things break, when there’s a traffic jam, it messes up our plans, and we can become frustrated.
Similarly, when people make mistakes, hurt our feelings, or just behave in a way we don’t like, we can get upset. Sometimes, it’s even our own actions that disappoint us. We can get angry at others and ourselves.
Instead of resisting reality, what if we acknowledged our reactions and chose to approach them differently? We could be curious about why we react as we do, be amused by our reactions, or simply accept that these experiences are part of being human.
This doesn’t mean suppressing emotions or avoiding necessary conversations. It means letting go of the futile effort to control what’s beyond our control.
This week, try noticing instances of these truths in your daily life and see if shifting your perspective reduces frustration, disappointment, and overall stress, making your life more enjoyable and manageable.
To browse past positivity tips, visit this page.
