You know that feeling when you wake up in the morning and the second your feet hit the floor, you know it’s not going to be a good day? Maybe you had a fight with your partner, your work life is in shambles, and you’re having major regrets about binge watching an entire season of Girlfriends last night. Let me tell you something…You gotta let it go!
When you let all of that negative energy in (sadness, depression, anxiety, resentment, etc), it gets comfy and it stays awhile. It can take over your entire life if you let it. A few years ago when I was dealing with anxiety, I used to let everything get underneath my skin. Now I try to let those things go and not let it ruin my day. It’s a daily regimen but I believe in you!
Tips to Letting the Small Stuff Go
Don’t dwell on it – keep it moving!
The amount of time that you waste by dwelling on something that bothered you is keeping you from finding joy in something else. When something happens that bothers you, take a few seconds to understand why you’re upset and then channel that energy back into something that you enjoy. Maybe go for a bike ride around your neighborhood, watch your favorite movie, or eat some brownies.
Resist the urge to complain
Believe me when I say this one is definitely easier said than done, but once I explain it’ll make more sense. So when you complain about something, you’re essentially magnifying the situation and making it seem like it’s a bigger deal than it is. You’re giving the situation leverage to damper your day.
Instead of complaining, try to revert your thoughts onto something more positive and worthy of your thoughts and energy. It’s hard at first, but I promise you’ll feel better and I’m sure the people around you will feel your positive energy.
Bring it down to the basics
This is one that I use at work all the time, but I’m the type of person that reads into things wayyyy to much. When I’m not feeling 100% myself, it’s easy to misinterpret the intent of other’s actions or comments. Sometimes its easy to think that people are out to get you, and for the most part they aren’t!
For an example, “I’m upset because someone had my leftovers that I was looking forward to eating” morphs into “I’m upset because no one cares or thinks about my feelings”. Let’s be real, everyone gets hungry and needs to eat a home cooked meal. So it’s not that big of a deal. A positive mindset is more about how you react to what’s going on around you. The next time you get upset, bring it down to the basics and figure out if it’s really worth being upset over. 9 out of 10, it’s not.
Let Go of Expectations
Man oh man, I’m talking to myself with this one but it’s easy to set up expectations about your day, a person’s reactions, or your experience at a restaurant. When you set up expectations for yourself and for others, it can be easy to be let down and to write it off as a “bad” whatever (experience, coworker, etc). I understand it’s disappointing when things don’t go the way that you planned.
But when you let your expectations cloud your reality, you’ll lose out on the joy that comes with it. Instead of getting upset about what isn’t going right, think about how you can change that and what is going right. There is plenty of time in your day or relationship to turn things around for the better. It’s all about a positive mindset!!!
Forgiveness
You’ve probably heard the saying “forgiveness isn’t for them, its for you”. It’s totally true! It’s easy to get upset when you feel like you’ve been wrong or hurt. For an example, it would be totally justified to scream and yell at someone if they totaled your car. But instead of getting upset, try to put yourself in their shoes and how it would make you feel to be in their situation.
By choosing empathy over anger, you allow yourself to be calm even during a stressful situation. Live your life with forgiveness and compassion on your heart! I’m not saying it’s an easy thing to do, but I will say it’s worth wild.
Ask yourself if it will matter in 5 years
When you are feeling like something is going wrong in your life, ask yourself if it will matter in 5 years. I use this technique all the time when I’m bothered by things at work or by my partner. I’ll tell you that 99% of the time, it doesn’t.
By letting the small stuff go, it will change your life and mindset. You’ll end up being a more positive and nicer person. When something makes you upset or gets you down throughout the day, make an extra effort to change your prescriptive. Don’t let life (or anyone for that matter) get you down!
