Being stressed?? or calm?? is a choice! The answers are within!

This picture was shared by a friend on social media. I initially thought, like with many other things, that I’ll let it pass. Then realized, that allowing a falsehood to proliferate, and not doing anything to at least call out that it is false, is being irresponsible. 

The irony is that this picture has “Power of Positivity” on it as the originator! ??The statement on the picture is the least positive. It endorses escapism and victimhood. Neither of which are useful nor positive. And adopting this attitude will only increase unhappiness, strife, and stress in one’s life. 

The simple fact and truth is that people do not create stress in you or me! It’s what you or I do with what people do, that creates the stress for you and me. So, the answers are within. ????

I learned years ago:

?? My thoughts upset me! People, circumstances, situations, or events, do not upset me! ??

And if you or I have to “spend” (the word spend itself isn’t useful to use in this context, and a better word might be “share” when it comes to being with people) less time with those who create stress, it means that we have to spend less time with our own selves. A truly positive action would be to go within, find out what it is that creates the stress, and handle it. ??

So, take responsibility, go within, find out what it is about others’ actions causes a disconnect within and take steps to learn from it. Accept it, and experience the stress disappear. 

?? Being stressed or calm is a choice! Go within for the answer! ??

And this is even more applicable in the workplace, than in personal life. In many workplaces, you might not get to choose your colleagues, or bosses all the time. And especially in those circumstances, it is best to go within, find the answers to what really causes the stress. Anything other than a serious value conflict needs to be handled by oneself. If there is a serious, unaddressable value conflict, that is another issue altogether, and that needs to be handled differently.