DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

Some of the best books written are the Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff series by Kristine and Richard Carlson. First time I read one was years ago, I think 1999, that Rob had bought for me, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff and it’s all Small Stuff.  When it comes to how most of us live our lives, that title could not be more true. We get angry on the road, at the slow service we are getting at a restaurant, when someone takes a parking space we wanted, when it rains the weekend you had outdoor plans, when you don’t get the seat you wanted at a movie theatre because it’s being saved, we get aggravated when we are shopping and can’t find the right outfit, when the lines are long at the grocery store, and so on and so on. We spend our days complaining about a butt load of small stuff, who didn’t take the garbage out, whose turn it is to bath the kids,  the dog barking next door, all the errands we need to run, cleaning the house, staying late at work, etc. Spend a day logging how many times you complain about something whether it’s out load or in your head, I would bet a majority of it is ALL SMALL STUFF.

You may be thinking ‘ so freaken what, this is how I live my life.’ Yes and that’s what is sad when we allow ourselves to get so caught up in all this small crap, that we miss life all together. One of the things I truly enjoy as the years go by is realizing what a gift life really is and how insignificant we really are in this big old universe. How no matter what our plans are, what our views are or even what we decide to consume our minds with, we are just a small piece of the puzzle in this life. I think the biggest thing we can blame is our own Ego. Our ego is what gets in the way of us really enjoying the gift of the day, and yes that gift is the moment you are in right now. The Ego doesn’t like to sit in the now, the ego wants  and wants and wants, the Ego relives the past over and over again, the ego only looks toward the future with future wants  never enjoying the small joys of life happening right here and right now. I have stated time and time again that of course it is okay to want more for yourself however not many of us know how to do that without it becoming all consuming and without sweating the small stuff.

Life is a huge maze and when you sweat the small stuff you’ll never get past the first corner of the maze, you will be stuck there in that corner so full of fear, rage or the past that  you never learn, never grow, never really experience true joy. Lots of us unfortunately never find a peaceful way to live in the maze because we are so consumed with what others think of us that we let that define our whole lives and so we never really are living. Then there is the way we all should strive for, living in the maze of life calmly finding our way enjoying the obstacles when they are good and bad all the while knowing that each hurdle is a chance to learn and grow. That with each emotion we experience said emotion will pass and to be at peace with where we are at this moment realizing that a strong positive relationship with ourselves, our loved ones,  and most importantly our creator is what makes this to be A Wonderful Life!

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