Do you consider yourself a resourceful person?
Are you actually able to own most of your own mistakes?
Do you believe you have overall more strength than stress?
While most of us would consider ourselves “too blessed to be stressed”, still we manage to feel most days have become an ongoing battle to try to tame our stress levels. Just making it through the day becomes our daily mission.
Evening Out the Joy and Sorrow Ratio
Most of us would agree that there are times when we just seem to have more stress, issues, and problems than overall happiness. However, there are a fortunate few who have learned that by being more optimistic they can deter some of the stress and create more positive outcomes than they could ever come close to with their self-imposed negativity.
There are those who would accuse the optimistic of being too carefree and certainly needing to do a reality check from time to time. However, it is the carefree, who have learned that a positive attitude will lighten their load as well as contribute more positively to their overall health—both mental and physical.
So What Secrets Do You Need For Less Stress and Greater Problem Solving?
- Learn to separate out the negative thoughts from positive thoughts. This is the first step in solving problems. Only after you have cleared your mind of thoughts not substantiated by your current situation can you start solving your problems accordingly.
- Treat each problem as a challenge and an opportunity for self-improvement or maybe even starting a business with. Some of your greatest challenges have pushed you towards a higher level of achievement. Every invention that we have solves what once was a problem. A pencil solves a problem. A coffee cup solves a problem.
- Free yourself from that “deer in the headlights” mindset. Are you operating in panic mode and too “frozen” to move on? You are experiencing the “fight or flight” syndrome, which is your automatic nervous system trying to stimulate your hypothalamus for getting ready to either stay and survive or flee. So calm down or you will never be able to focus or make a decision.
- Journal your way through your problems and possible find answers to them. Evaluate how far you have come through resolving your problems. If you wait long enough—if you can—some problems will solve themselves. Write your feelings freely. Realize also that sometimes just understanding what is going on can be liberating in and of itself.
- Keep a daily progress list and write down steps you are taking to resolve these problems and stresses. Remember that any time you do one thing to move closer to your goal that is one step closer to a solution. One thing done is one progress step.
- Develop an enjoyable hobby and tap into your creativity. This will help you lessen or minimize stress in your life. Just visiting the right side of your brain will put you in touch with your creativity. You will also lose sight of time (an attribute of the right side) and be able to deal more efficiently with work stress. You will also have something enjoyable to look forward to everyday or every weekend.
- Take time off and create variations of your daily schedule. Relax and do things differently. Take a nap in the middle of the day or eat dinner for breakfast or vice versa. Mix things up a bit.
The above secrets will help you lessen the stress of being human and having problems.
Now What To Do If You Are Currently Dealing With Consuming Problems
Say you are already consumed by a few problems here and there. Here are four steps in doing your problem solving:
- Determine the root cause of the problem. If you think it is difficult, ask at a couple of why’s and how’s relating to when the problem actually become apparent. You will soon find out the probable cause. Don’t be afraid to do a Google search of what others in similar situations have found and done.
- Piece together a possible resolution. Even if you don’t know the total solution, ask around on social media. It is surprising how people who have been through a similar situation will open up.
- Decide to solve the problem no matter what. Just be so darn determined that no matter what, you will solve that problem. That problem is not going to rule your life or continuously steal your joy.
- Review the situation for you to avoid repeating the same mistakes committed before. History does NOT have to repeat itself here. Learn from your mistakes. Then don’t just learn and forget. Learn and then implement a similar strategy for the next time a similar problem rears its ugly head.
In Conclusion
Consider that everybody experiences problems and stresses. “There is no new thing under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9b)
They are there not to scare you, but prepare you for your next level of achievement or greatness. Problems are created when you cannot accept what you cannot change yet fixing what you can. Once you accept your limitations or new direction, the options will improve. It is not a hassle-free situation many times, but certainly a life-sharpening experience. Problems are there to show you that you are finite and God is infinite and you are dealing with something that will require a belief outside of yourself.
Hence, never isolate yourself from others. Sometimes just reaching out to others, who are going through different problems, can require you to look at your own problems differently. If you cannot resolve the problem as you would like to see it resolved, then accept it. Let go and realize that acceptance spells peace.
Remember, less worrying mean less problems and a lot less stress. If you think that you really want some time off because of problems, consider that there is another place you can visit. It is the place of self-certainty an authentic place paved by the path of self-conviction and faith. It is always a large area with plenty of honest, truth seekers going there.
I absolutely love this! And so true! While I won’t say I never get stressed, I can definitely own up to my problems and deal with them one way or another. But I know quite a few people who are stressed 24/7 due to what’s happened to them in the past. And no matter what you tell them, they just let go of it. As I tell them, we only have this one life, do you want to live in the shadows and be fearful or do you want to LIVE?
Yes, I agree Ann. As one guy used to say, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”
Amen! I always have to remind myself of Isaiah 41:13 because my worries tend to come at me with doubts and fears. I also believe a great thing to do to relieve stress and block out worry is finding a hobby that allows you to be creative or more kid-like. When we were children, we never worried we just had fun!
Great motivational article! I find that organizing your thoughts is akin to uncluttering your home. If your house is filled with junk and all types of unnecessary stuff, then it will be very hard to be happy in that type of surrounding and keep positive attitude. But it everything is clean, clear and organized, then you will definitely feel happier, free and more relieved. I know I do.
Teresa, thank you! I agree. Clutter causes additional stress as well as just feeling overwhelmed. I know a therapist that recommends that people clean a room or a closet to feel in control of their lives again. Plus it gets them up and moving verses sitting around being depressed.
These steps are really hwlpful to overcome stress. These steps needs to be executed immediately by ones self.
Inspirational article. As you’ve stated in your conclusion that there is nothing new under the heaven, I strongly agree to that. Thanks for sharing for men handles their stress differently based on how they see it.
To get the negativity out of one’s system and mind is to take up a positive mind and think only about positives things. Be positive is the key
Separating +and – thought are fine and should be done but not in all cases. Yes I believe that negativity and entertaining it can help. As the movie Inside out shows. JOY is fine but we also needs sadness to know what counts.
Its a long read but very informative..I am one person that go through a lot of stress at work and its taking its toll on me..This article is just what I need right now
Secrets to Less Stress and Greater Problem Solving has really been analysed here. Going by the contents of this motivational and educational packed article, you got no worries. Thanks for this wonderfully packed article Leisa Good.
Thank you, Oyeyipo. Glad you found it helpful.
Thanks for sharing your valuable advice. I live in a big city and sometimes it can be very stressfull because of the lonf distances, traffic, cold temperatura and in general the issues that happen sudenly. Your tips will be very help full for me.
Traffic alone is stressful, Rosemary. That is why I started my business–traffic. I had a 2-hour one-way commute everyday!
Evening out sorrows and happiness is the way out for me. When once we realized that these two are the necessary twins in our lives then we will have less stress.
Jasper, you are right. Have you ever heard the old Japanese proverb: “Those who have never known sorrow, can never know joy.” When you think about it, it’s true. How can you understand one thing without having something to compare it to? Thanks for your comment.
This article really resonated with me. I find problems can be a good thing because they give you drive and things to shoot for and improve on. I like the idea that every issue can be solved and does not have to rule your life. Giving yourself the occasional pat on the back and appreciating what makes you special is great for confidence and well-being.
It’s all so simple yet very effective tips to lessen stress.
People just tend to lump everything in together and just make themselves even more stressful! What’s even more amazing is that every person is quite different when handling things that are stressful for us and not for them, and vice versa.
I’m just glad that as just you have mentioned, everyone has problems and accepting what makes us so stressed in the first place (in the case there really isn’t any kind of conclusion/resolution to the problem) go a really long way towards our own inner peace.
Great article. When your mind is organized, your life also becomes organized. Writing down what you plan to do and follow up of what you did or did not do helps along way.
Sometimes just having a positive mindset can help greatly in keeping stress away. That’s the method I use.
You guys have made some very good points and insights. I really appreciate them. It sounds like you have really given some thought as to how to accept problems and move forward with planning and self-care. Acceptance of any problem will always spell peace.
Resolving to solve the problem no matter what is the law that I live by. It never pays to run away from your problems.
@Meg W – I wish everyone would resolve to solve the problem no matter what. The more you deny or run from a problem the more it grows, and the more the stress ways on you. Agree.
A smart way to reduce stress, as you have rightly pointed out, is breaking the monotony of your schedule and doing things a bit differently. This helps stimulate the mind a lot.
Keeping a journal has been a great way for me to get in touch with my feelings and understand myself better. I would recommend a journal to anyone.
@Oliver – Keeping a journal is an excellent way to see your progress and come to grips with what you really want to see happen. Great point
Developing and maintaining a hobby does wonders for mental health. It’s one of the best ways to reduce stress.