Sometimes I have to go out on a limb. An idea that would take 20 pages of context has to be presented in a few paragraphs. But I trust my Think Daily audience to ponder these ideas and see what is in there for you. Here we go today –
Your feeling stress is not due to anything that happens outside of you. “Bad” stuff happens, but that does not cause stress in your mind and body.
What causes stress is your internal reaction to what happens. Your resistance to what happened; your not accepting what happens; and the fact that what happened was not in alignment with your expectations. Was it what happened that was foul, or was it your expectations that were not correct or flexible or ready for what happened?
If we learn to resist nothing, and accept what happens, we won’t feel stress.
Did I just say resist nothing? How can I strive to make change in my life and the world around me if I resist nothing? How can I just accept what happens if it is not in alignment with my goals and desires?
Things that happen are in the past, even if just a few seconds in the past – we can’t change them. If we learn not to resist, much stress is gone. And acceptance of what happens and what is, isn’t the same as resignation or settling for less than we want. It’s just to accept what is now. We can still strive to make tomorrow better, but we accept today, and we don’t fight it just because it’s not what we ultimately want.
This is the best way I know to reduce or even eliminate stress. Is it easy? With our habitual patterns of response to things we have developed, we’ll have to work on it. But if you master it, there is little that can upset or stress you.
I love this one.
Incredibly relevant and true.
I’ll do my best to let go and still continue to have a consistent plan to reach objectives.
Thank you 🙂
Wow! This is powerful ! I think resistance are our roadblocks. But reading this, i can “Think Daily” and decided if it’s just my ” resistance “
Good morning …………….I think this might be your best one yet!!!
Larry, we talked about this briefly in the Delta class of the School of Entrepreneurship. I related to you how I had received a letter from an insurance company attorney blaming us for a $100,000 damage claim for something we installed (not one of your products). I had just finished reading your recommended book, “The Untethered Soul” by Michael Singer and I was halfway through another one of your recommended books, “The Power of Now” by Eckart Tolle. These authors explain quite well what you are saying, so I wasn’t upset for receiving the letter as there was nothing I could do about it. (Plus, I pay my general liability premiums). I am working on the suggestions offered by both authors and I have to say, it does reduce stress.
Hey Larry!
Thanks for your always thought provoking morning message. It’s an important part of my day and I appreciate the time and energy you devote to sharing with us.
Have a mindful, in-the-moment day!
Judy
Great message.
For me it is daily work to stay in the place of acceptance and non-resistance.
Along with “The Power of Now”, I found that “The Misleading Mind” by Karuna Cayton provides very practical “brain training” techniques that really help.
Great insights into stress Larry. Makes a lot of sense. Thanks!
Well said Larry. Besides living in the moment, Buddha also teaches to be hope-less as another way to avoid stress and bringing peace in your lives. Kind of flies in the face of all the messages we hear today about Hope, but hope is a slippery slope (just made that up). All good credo’s to live by.
Larry,
This is one of my favorite life changing perceptions. I remember you taught on this in one of our classes or at a convention years ago. “I think the message was if its in the past let it go” I used to put so much emotional energy into things that would happen and in turn harm my team members because of an accident or costly event” I now look at it as opportunity to say how do we fix it?, lets get past it & not make the same mistake again or even say don’t worry about it things happen. I have a saying I stole from a book or audio (Lets make new mistakes) Besides Stress can kill your productivity!!! I have been so stressed before I could not think clearly it was as if I was on drugs.