Don't Worry, Be Happy

Every day I am becoming more and more aware that if you pay attention to the way you are thinking about things, you have more control over changing the way you think about things. For example:

There is a prayer I learned about in High School and it's been with me ever since. It's called the Serenity Prayer.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can,

And the wisdom to know the difference.

When you get stressed, take a minute to think about why you're stressed.

1. What events or facts are there in your life that are making you stressed.
2. Why are you stressing about them? What thoughts are you having in that moment? What are you worried is going to happen?
3. What evidence is there to support those thoughts?
4. What evidence is there to disprove those thoughts?
5. What are some alternative thoughts you could have to those stressful situations that could help you feel more in control of the situation, leading to you feeling less stressed?

I have started using these steps anytime I get stressed or anxious. I keep a written thought record answering each of these steps. Ever since I have started doing this I have seen a huge difference in the way I react to situations. I feel a lot more in control of my life and I feel a lot happier. It's helped me and I know if you take the time to do it, it can help you too.