Coping with what you can’t control

Hi everyone,

There are many things in life we can’t control—everything from tiny annoyances to tragedies. We can’t control what others think, say, or do. We can’t control what others think of us. We can’t control who our loved ones hang out with. We can’t control who we work with or who’s in charge. We can’t control Mother Nature or today’s traffic or the current situation in our motherland for that matter.

But, of course, we can control our reactions to all the things we can’t control.

I’m sure you’ve heard that statement many, many times. And it’s true, of course. But, in the moment, we’re often left wondering, how do we react when we’re really upset? How do we react when it feels like our world has stopped—or exploded? For today’s blog post, I am sharing a few tips on how to cope with things that are way above our heads.

Remind yourself it’s not permanent. 

No matter how horrible you feel, remind yourself that it won’t last forever. As Ojeda said, “feelings are constantly changing.” They invariably ebb and flow. “Can you think back to another time you felt really awful and stuck, but then it passed?” When you can’t control a situation, you feel overwhelmed, powerless, helpless, and hopeless. It’s demoralizing to think there’s nothing you can do. Or maybe we know there are many things we can do, but we don’t have the energy. When this happens, when you feel this way, move slowly. Honor yourself. Take one small, tiny step. Take a breath. Text a loved one. Write a few words about what you need. Take your time. In other words, be kind and gentle with yourself.

Create a jar of gratitude. 

When events or situations in life go wrong, it is really easy for us to only bring our energy and attention to those problems, and then we get stuck. And then we dwell (and drown) in this dark place. Take a moment to Sell yourself to yourself. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, remind yourself of what you do well. We each have moments or times in our lives that make us feel proud when we look back on them. These can be big or small. For example: moments that showed you what you were truly capable of achieving; difficult times when you demonstrated grace, dignity, grit, or determination, moments when you had to show courage to do what needed to be done. Write those down, read them out loud, and put them in your jar. You can always go back in that jar whenever you need a reminder of how amazing you are. Let’s have a healthy sense of self-esteem.

Manage social media time & spend time with your loved ones.

Spending time on social media sites can become stressful, not only by what we might see on them, but also because the time you are spending on social media might be best spent enjoying visiting with friends, being outside enjoying the weather, or reading a great book.

Connect with others

Humans are social beings. You need to have connections with people to feel supported. Finding a sense of community — whether at work, with a religious organization, or through shared activities, such as organized sports — is important to your well-being. Enjoying a shared activity allows you to find support and foster relationships that can be supportive in difficult times.

Follow a Routine

Always make a point to follow a regime. A routine provides a structured and organized way of living. When our daily routine is well structured, we can utilize our day in a better way. You will also realize that you are able to complete all your work on time and still can indulge in some entertainment activities, hobbies, and sports. And you will automatically feel stress-free.

Also, Make a list of things that make you happy and optimistic. This technique will help to ease your stress in a positive manner. Also, make a list of work that you need to do or could accomplish in a day. The best suggestion would be to make a to-do list wherein you list all the activities, assignments, or any other tasks that you need to complete. This is a good way of staying focused and organized and also completing all the tasks without thinking too much about them.

Accept and face your challenges

If you find yourself in a bad situation or if some of your decisions have landed you in trouble, accept and find a solution for it instead of cribbing. When you accept your challenges, it has a positive impact on your mind and consciousness. This makes you stronger to face tougher situations in the future as well. One of my top priorities when doing life coaching is to help my clients to train their minds to see the jar half-filled rather than half empty that way it will be easier for you to better appreciate whatever life throws at you in other to always find the motivation to focus on your goals and objectives in life.

Look after yourself

Never forget to take good care of yourself. When we are in a stressful situation, we end up getting tensed and worried without giving a thought about ourselves. We ignore our own selves either by eating unhealthy meals or by not giving our body and mind enough rest. This ignorance can more harm us greatly and could weaken our power to deal with stress. This is where we have to take care of ourselves by doing and feeling appreciative of all the little things that make us happy such as: feeling healthy enough to get a new hairstyle or a wardrobe makeover; meeting a good friend for lunch; sipping a favorite tea and reading the paper; having a supportive family, seeing a caring doctor who sits and listens to your concerns. Or simply book a session with LaMoumous where you can take not only take care of yourselves, indulge in some fun activities that will not only help you take control of your stress level but also help you in your journey of becoming the best version of yourself.

Relax & Meditate

Relax your mind and body. When feeling stresses, take a nap or breathe deep. Being continuously involved in work can be stressful. So, remember to take a break and connect with ‘yourself’. In this way, you will stay calm and make yourself feel better.Guided meditation is also a great way to distract yourself from the stress of day-to-day life. There are many guided meditations available on the internet that can help you find 5 minutes of centered relaxation. For me, Romance novels and Halmark Movies have been my best relaxation excercises so far :-).

Outfit Details (shopping my wardrobe)
Top @amazon | Pants @Lilophia | Handbag @Luminescence |
Shoes @maisondelachaussure | Eyewear, hat @GlamurBoutique |
Camera @MJPhotography
Linking Up with those wonderful ladies here

So, I often get asked why I am always happy and in a good mood so today I am sharing all my secrets :-). Not so secret since it is not the first time I am speaking on this topic on the blog. It has been pretty recurring since COVID-19 entered our lives. Anyway, those are practically what I do on a daily basis to help me push through and find joy in life every day. So how do you cope with stress and/or anxiety? Comment below and share with the community. I, myself, am always looking for advice to help me live a happy, healthy, and balanced life.

Thanks for stopping by,

XoXo,