Everyone goes through it at some point. We have something in our life that we must devote our time and efforts to, usually bringing a certain level of stress. Then the unexpected happens: health struggles, family troubles, relationship issues, etc. And, just like that snap, your stress levels quadruple. After all, “When it rains, it pours.” For some, this is simply too much at once and they collapse under the weight of the pressure. I assure you, there are other, healthier ways to manage your stress. But, what they are, I cannot tell you; every person is different. Every person has their own unique list of challenges at their own time.
Just remember the immortal words of Nanea Hoffman, “None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself as an afterthought. Eat the delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean. Say the truth that you’re carrying in your heart like a hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There’s no time for anything else.” There is precious little time in life and not nearly enough of it is spent trying to focus on individual happiness. Many of us find careers in a field we can, at the very least, tolerate while devoting a third of our waking life to it. Another third of our life is spend sleeping and replenishing that lost energy from work. So, what do we do with the other third? Some have children. Some find an art or craft. Others drift, trying to find something to fill in the gaps in this space, and it is to those individuals who this is directed at.
No matter how large your pile of money or possessions grows, you will not be able to take it with you. Sure, you can leave it to your progeny, but even they will succumb to time. Your time is the most precious possession you will ever have, and it is finite. Stop stressing over that work proposal, stop losing sleep over that exam, and stop beating yourself up over the end of a relationship. Take a week, a day, an hour to find yourself. Find your center. Find your drive. Find your purpose. Too many of us become trapped in a cycle that goes against our own interests. Sure, we all have to buckle down and do things we may not necessarily enjoy. Others may find peace in their nine-to-five routines. If you have a dream, a goal, or a purpose that must be fulfilled, you need to make time to make it happen. Opportunities seldom present themselves more than once, and you can either seize it or regret it.
This does, of course, expand outside of your own individual bubble. When interacting with someone else, stop and ask yourself: Am I making this person’s challenges easier or tougher? Everyone has challenges, often at the most inopportune times. Find solace in putting forth a little extra effort in making someone’s day better, and it will come full circle back to you when you need it most.
