Stress Management for Dummies: 7 Tips To Help You Keep Life In Perspective
March 8th, 2008
It is not uncommon to hear many people talk about how they are “stressed out” or “at the end of their rope”, but often what many people consider stress is really just a lack of perspective about the challenges facing others on our block, in our state, in our country, and around the world. If you are reading this post, you have been blessed with more material wealth than many people on the planet. What is a low within our lives is often a height that other people aspire to.
Here are 7 tips to help you keep perspective within your life.
1. You may “hate” your job, but how do you feel about unemployment?
2. You woke up today…many people didn’t.
3. You may be overweight, but it beats being malnourished.
4. Gas may be expensive, but you wouldn’t care if you had to walk everywhere.
5. Your house may be small, but the streets are nice and wide; where would you rather live?
6. Democracy has its flaws, but we are free to talk about them; in some countries political speech can get you imprisoned, tortured, or killed.
7. Health care may be expensive, but not having it can be even more so.
If you want to change your life experience, raise your level of expectation, participation, and appreciation. If you spend your time creating without complaining, you will be surprised by the improvement you will see in your results and in your stress level.
Entry Filed under: Essays/Tips/Lifehacks
1 Comment Add your own
1. Silvia | May 31st, 2008 at 8:20 pm
This post makes me think of Naikan. Naikan is a Japanese word which means “inside looking” or “introspection.” A more poetic translation is “seeing oneself with the mind’s eye.” It is a structured method of self- reflection that helps us to understand ourselves, our relationships and the fundamental nature of human existence.
Naikan reflection is based on three questions:
- What have I received from ……….?
- What have I given to ……….?
- What troubles and difficulties have I caused ……….?
(…)
If we resent it when people do not fulfill our expectations, we live as if we deserve whatever we want. As we reflect on our relationships, one by one, we begin to see the reality of our life. What is more appropriate - to go through life with the mission of collecting what is owed us, or to go through life trying to repay our debt to others? Even if you think you know the answer, it is not the same as discovering the answer
Naikan broadens our view of reality. It’s as if, standing on top of a mountain, we shift from a zoom lens to a wide-angle lens. Now we can appreciate the broader panorama - our former perspective still included, but accompanied by much that had been hidden. And that which was hidden makes the view extraordinary.
http://www.todoinstitute.org/naikan.html
…
Naikan is a wonderful practice of gratitude that leads to hapiness.
Silvia
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