We Are All Going To Have Bad Days

By Dick O'Brien M.A.S.c

You heard it here first! We are all going to have bad days and there are more bad days ahead of you. The real issue is not whether we will have difficult personal times. It is how much power and authority we give those bad days and difficult times over our lives. The real struggle here is to beware the trap of the victim mentality during the vulnerable moments of our lives. I have found that way too often we are less victims of life and more victims of our own thinking

The first step to healthy living is to take ownership of your life and behaviors.

When we ask, "Where does our stress come from?" The answer is always, ourselves. The unhealthiest thing you can do is to identify as a victim of other people and your environment.

95% of the stress in your life is self-induced.

Your work, environment or other people do not cause your stress. It may often seem that way but the truth is that stress is a reaction by you to a perceived threat in your environment. It originates not in your circumstances but in your thinking.

Change the way you think and you will change your life. Become less demanding, less perfectionist, less hurried and more compassionate and you will become less stressful.

It is essential to understand that the beginning of stress management is to reflect on self-management. Too often we react to and worry about things that will not matter in the long run. Life is too soon too short!

We all know that life can be tough going at times. Pressures can mount up. When you're in a stressful situation, it is your attitude that determines who will come out the winner.

As we have noted, stress is a fact of life and a part of life. There is no escaping it. But there are some simple things you can do to prevent unnecessary stressful situations from developing in your life.

Set your alarm clock to get up at least 15 minutes earlier in the morning. You will avoid last minute rushing. You will start the day in a more relaxed and less stressful way.

Eat breakfast. It should be wholesome but easy to prepare so that you don't waste time in the kitchen. You need energy to start your day.

Have everything written down. All of your most important chores of the day should be listed on a piece of paper. This will take much of the frenzy out of your life.

Resolve that you will be as honest as you can throughout the day. There must be no little white lies. They will come back to haunt you and hurt you.

Make certain that you have your daily essentials with you at all times.

Check to see that you have your keys, money, personal belongings, driver's license and necessary credit and identification cards. Misplacing an item can cause stress when you suddenly discover that it is missing.

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