If you're like me, stress is like a grey cloud hovering over your head that you can't get rid of. Being a new mom and a college student can add extra stress on top of everyday stressors. Some things people stress about cannot be controlled, like the death of a loved one, loss of a job, or emotional problems (i.e., depression, anxiety, etc.). I'm here to shed light on the unnecessary stressful situations that can be controlled, and how to avoid them.
1. Negative Thinking
If you think about everything negatively, chances are you're going to have a negative outcome in any situation. It's all about the energy you give off in life, because misery always needs company. If you're a negative person around others, you are more than likely to rub that energy onto them, causing them to be negative as well.
2. Replaying Stressful Situations In Your Mind
Remembering a time where you were in a stressful situation can be tough, but having the thought hovering over you all day, can impact how the rest of your day will go. It's always important to remember to keep the past in the past. There is no use beating yourself up for something that cannot be changed. This is crucial part of accepting who you are and the obstacles and trying to overcome them.
3. Procrastination
I cannot even begin to explain how many things I have left to do until tthe last possible minute. For example, getting ready for work/school, doing an assignment, studying for a test, cleaning my house- you name it. And I can definitely say that every single situation has stressed me out to the point of emotional breakdowns. Don't let this be you! Plan ahead, give yourself more time to do things like get ready in the morning, start early, do anything you can do to reduce this unnecessary stress.
4. "Stalking" on Social Media or Oversharing
Ok, we have all been there. Stalking the girl that seems to have the perfect life, or the couple that travels to every destination on your bucket list. This can seriously hurt a persons ego! Do not compare yourself to the things you see on social media. Everyone is unique in their own way, and trying to be something you're not will only cause you to become obsessed with trying to top everything you see. Which brings me to oversharing on social media! The amount of likes on Instagram or retweets on Twitter does not determine how "popular" or liked you are in real life. Stop limiting yourself to the Internet! You will live a happier, stress free life by accepting yourself.
5. Being Unorganized
Before I started buying every cute planner I see, I was the most unorganized person I knew. I tried to remember tasks, rather than write them down, and almost every time, I forgot what it was I was supposed to do. This type of stress can simply be avoided! It just takes a little discipline to pick up a pen and write down everything you need. Start at the beginning of the week and try to plan out the rest of the week. It might not be exactly what you're going to do, but it has been said that you're more likely to remember something by writing it down.
6. Worrying About Money You Don't Have
Weather you already spent it, or are comparing yourself to someone rich and wishing you had their money and lifestyle, worrying about money can only lead to stress. If you've already spent it, don't worry about it- especially if you can't get a refund. Whatever it was, you wanted or needed at the time. If you can return it and feel that bad about it, then you can always get it back. But comparing yourself to what other people have can make a person feel bad about themselves.
7. What Others Think Of You
You can't change what people think about you.There will always be people who are going to have their negative opinions of you- let them. If you lived your life trying to impress people and trying to change their opinion of you, you will then be living your life for those people and not yourself. Focus on your life and be positive about everything you do. Accetance and happiness comes from within yourself.
8. Hoping To Be Successful
To me, success is just a word. There is no difinitive answer for the definition of being successful. Success can mean different things for different people. For some it could mean financial success, for others it could mean being ultimately happy in your life. Take your definition of success, set your life goals and achieve them!
