Let It Go: How to Accept Stress as Normal and Move On

What's Bothering You?

Do you sometimes feel you are a victim of circumstance as you face one daily stress after another? Can't seem to catch a break? When you look around does it feel like other people are having a better life than you? 

Then now's the time to change your mindset and let go of playing the victim in your own life. When you let go of the mindset working against you, you'll discover your most robust self takes the lead. 

Daily life is a continuous cycle of stress and relaxation. Moment by moment we all face challenges that require us to respond. This is the essence of the stress response--and of life.

The tension created by our challenges isn't a bad thing. The daily stressors simply create a heightened awareness in us that we must decide how we want to proceed with life. Once we make a decision--and take action--our stress resolves or lessens and we return to a more relaxed state.

To let go of the stress 'putting you over the edge' or 'getting on your last nerve' in a timely manner you must identify what it is. If you just ignore or deny what's really going on you leave those things eating away at you in the back of your head to boil and fester until they spew out and splatter everyone around you while you remain stuck--playing the victim in your own life.

When we use words like 'it' and 'stuff' to talk about what's bothering us, it allows us to gently tip-toe around naming what's bothering us. 'It's bothering me' or 'all this stuff is getting to me' are lovely non-specific descriptions allowing us to remain socially polite and seemingly still in-control as we voice our tension to others.

To successfully get on with living the life we want we must move beyond these diffuse terms keeping us mired in a cesspool of fear and anxiety--and specifically identify what's got our attention.

Come Clean: Name What's Holding You Back Today

·                     What's happening in your life at this moment? 

·                     What's making you feel tense?

·                     What do you feel you should be doing you're not?

·                     How are you failing to live up to someone else's expectations or your own?

 Looking over the last three days, what's stressing you out? Pick one situation to describe in uncensored detail in your head--and let it rip!

As you focus on your recent stress-inducing incident notice any changes in your body as you merely think about it. What happens to your heart beat and breathing? Do you notice any discomfort in your head or stomach? Are you aware of clenching your teeth or tightening your jaw; tension in your neck, back or other muscles? Do you feel tearful or angry?

Our stress-inducing experience has the ability to cause tension as we merely think about it. We don't even need to experience it to bring the stress-response on. That's why it is so important to specifically name the stuff that's bothering you--so you can stop stuffing it and move on faster.

Get Back to Your Healthy, Robust Self 

'Tension is who you think you should be; Relaxation is who you are.'  Chinese Proverb

Why not accept your daily life consists of a continuous cycle of stress and relaxation--and choose to face the discomfort and step into action sooner?

It is the living in a 'world of shoulds' without taking action that creates the tension and discomfort in us and throws us into a mental fog, leaving us feeling overwhelmed for longer periods of time.

If you care about being your healthiest, most robust self, give up playing the victim in your life. Choose to consciously identify what's causing your tension and bringing out the full stress-response. Name it then choose to engage in actions that puts you back living in the state of relaxation of who you really are—pursuing a life with purpose and meaning.

Trust yourself to hold the key to being your best self. Act on what you know to be right for you. Take the steps that will help you feel fully alive, fully productive, and fully engaged. Be brave.

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Susan J Meyerott loves helping people become more fully themselves, particularly those working through anxiety, life and career transitions, relationships, and self-esteem issues. She provides a nonjudgmental, growth-oriented environment for you to become the person you’re meant to be—while appreciating the richness of who you already are. Learn more at Lightarted Living Blog

Stop it! You are not Defective~You are Strong and Host to all the Marvels in Creation

'If you are a card-carrying human being, chances are you share the same fear as all other humans: the fear of losing love, respect and connection to others. And if you are human, in order to avoid or prevent the pain, trauma and perceived devastation of the loss, you will do anything to avoid your greatest fear from being visited on you.'    Iyanla Vanzant

No matter what you're going through; no matter what the past~open yourself up to all the marvels of creation you have to offer the world as you step past your current conundrum (of which there's sure to be one). 

Our struggles strengthen us and give us something to push against while growing our hearts and compassion for others. Why waste one of the world's greatest asset--your active participation? Why hide your gifts from the world? Who are you to horde your talents?

Don't let self-doubt or feelings of inadequacy force you into hiding. When you discover you've retreated from the world feeling shameful about being defective or inadequate, take one small step a day to come out of hiding.  Get the focus off YOU and put it where it belongs--on how to best serve others.

Ask yourself: 

• How can I best serve the world, my community and my family? 
• What is one thing I can do today to contribute to those around me?
• What one thing can I do today to better position myself for serving in my community?
• What is one thing I can do today to make a difference for one person?

Stop fixating on your inadequacies. When you take the focus off you and put it on serving others instead, you'll stop ruminating on your weaknesses and fears and allow your life to naturally emerge out of your strengths and caring for others.

'Compassion is the unfettered yearning that responds to the world with noble heart, the understanding that others are just like us. Radiating from basic goodness like the sun, compassion lifts us above self-involvement and brings us out of the Dark Age. Just like the sun behind a cloud, it shines through our self-centeredness.'       Sakyong Mipham

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Susan J Meyerott loves helping people become more fully themselves, particularly those working through anxiety, life and career transitions, relationships, and self-esteem issues. She provides a nonjudgmental, growth-oriented environment for you to become the person you’re meant to be—while appreciating the richness of who you already are. Learn more at Lightarted Living Blog

Having Self-Doubts? Embrace Your Audacious Spirit

Unselfconsciously Fully-Engaged in Life

When you embrace your Audacious Spirit , you put fear aside to unselfconsciously show the fully engaged and fully alive person you are: You embolden yourself to seek justice; right wrongs; go where others have not; think differently; and step over boundaries and past barriers to unleash your best talents and self. 

An Audacious Spirit Promotes Strength

Unlike possessing a brassy, bossy, or bully spirit, an audacious spirit is one that promotes your strength to meet the world head on rather than one that is determined to control others into submission.

Let Obstacles and Difficulties Spur You into Audacious Action

We are all spurred into audacious action through coming face-to-face with difficulties and self-doubt. 

While your initial response is to retreat from obstacles and difficulties, the discomfort of the situation rekindles your naturally audacious spirit to do battle. 

After hiding inside, suddenly you'll discover the strength to once again speak up and act in ways that create the type of workplace, community, family, relationship or life you want.  

Be Audacious! Embrace and Reframe Experiences Causing Self-Doubt

Choose to embrace and redirect life experiences that cause you to doubt yourself. Don't be afraid of the difficulties and don't be afraid of retreating into yourself in response to the blow you take from dealing with them. 

Reframe what is happening when you retreat--learn to sit in the discomfort and view it as a time to regroup and build up your indomitable spirit to reemerge fully prepared to face life boldly and courageously. Then get out there and meet life head on.

Today I am Audacious!

Extremely bold and daring; 

Recklessly brave and fearless;

Shameless Bold and Brazen;

Extremely Original and Highly Inventive;

Recklessly bold in defiance of convention; 

Lively; Unrestrained; Uninhibited;

Courageous, Dauntless, Venturesome;

Unabashed, Shameless; Impertinent, Forward.

Get out there!

BE YOUR MOST AUDACIOUS SELF!

Get the Job

Get The Man/Woman

Get The LIFE

Fight for  GOOD HEALTH

CREATE THE LIFE YOU WANT

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes changing easier than ever before. 


Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the Lightarted Living mailing list. Sign up for free e-mail updates.

Rumi: Your Heart and My Heart are very Old Friends

Your heart and my heart

are very old friends. 

Rumi

The breezes at dawn

have secrets to tell you

LISTEN

Don’t go back to sleep!

You must ask 

for what you really want.

Your heart and my heart

are very old friends. 

Rumi

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes changing easier than ever before.


Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list. 

Rumi~You must ask for what you really want

The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you

Don’t go back to sleep!

You must ask for what you really want.

Don’t go back to sleep!

People are going back and forth

across the doorsill where the two worlds touch,

The door is round and open

Don’t go back to sleep! 

Rumi, 13th-century Persian poet

You must ask for what you really want.

Don’t go back to sleep!

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes changing easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list. 

Shut Up and Listen!

IMAGINE

Imagine everyone else is enlightened except you.  

When you do things from your soul, you have: 

• No ego;
• No point to prove;
• No pride or image to protect.

You are open, trusting, interested and engaged in life and seeking to learn from all the enlightened people around you. Imagine how that would feel...like a river moving in you.

A WISE MAN ONCE SAID NOTHING

Now imagine how it feels when you're led by pride. Feeling stuck and perhaps defeated by circumstances, pride leads you to 'protect your fragile ego by going underground to work things out while rejecting all offers to help. The ego tells you to maintain a good face and hold on to presenting a good image even as panic and anxiety builds inside. 

If we spend too much time locked up in our heads--going it alone--faulty thinking sets in and life comes to a frustrating standstill. 

Behind our eyes the fear, anger and frustration simmer as we view our lives from the vantage of the ego, instead of the soul. We 'yes, but' and pooh-pooh other's suggestions with impatience and contempt further locking us in a standoff with our best selves and assuring we remain stuck in a downward spiral. 

How do we reverse this to pick ourselves up and elevate ourselves to work from the level of our soul? Sometimes we just need to shut up and listen...as if everyone else was enlightened but us. 

As the saying goes, 'A wise man once said nothing.....'

SOUL SEARCHING

WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO WITH YOUR LIFE?

• What are you struggling with at the moment? 
• What issue or problem are you trying to solve? 
• Where would you like to shoot your life forward?  
• Where have you been resisting help?

OPEN

Run a short experiment: Choose one or more people who have your best interest at heart to actively seek advice from. Listen to their advice without blocking what they say. 

Listen as if you are about to hear the one idea that will change your life. 

Suspend judgment by writing down their advice while asking clarifying questions and saying Thank You after each suggestion. 

Seek to act on the most enlightening suggestion. Ask yourself what the most enlightening suggestion is you will--without judgment or resistance--take action on.

Pledge to apply one piece of advice.

CHOOSE TO DO THINGS FROM YOUR SOUL

I wish to live a life that causes my soul to dance inside my body

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes changing easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list. 

Stop the World, I Want to Get Off! Overcoming Stress During Life Transitions

'With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose.' Dr. Wayne Dyer

What's Bothering You? 

What life events are you currently reacting to? What's bothering you? Where do you feel everything's about to change and you don't have a handle on it?

Are you:

• Worrying about the Presidential Race not going in the direction you want? 
• Worrying about other people taking your rights away or your children's future opportunities?
• Stepping into a relationship or contemplating tying or untying the knot?
• Moving from renting into home ownership or thinking about purchasing a home?
• Becoming or thinking about becoming a parent, or sending a child off to school?
• Changing jobs or figuring out retirement?
• Dealing with chronic health, pain or abuse issues--or the loss of a loved one?

'No one can create negativity or stress within you. Only you can do that by virtue of how you process your world.' Dr. Wayne Dyer

Times of Transition are Unsettling 

Recently, I've had conversations with people dealing with one or more of these life transitions. As this IS life, no one is immune to dealing with the ever-evolving landscape of life. 

No matter who we are, or what life changes we're experiencing--whether 'good' or 'bad'--times of transition are unsettling and disruptive. Our fears and concerns during these transitions lead us to initially freeze up, and temporarily suspend us in a frozen state of inertia as we try to figure things out in our heads.

Sometimes the number of transitions and worries stack up and we're overwhelmed by the enormity of it all. Even if we try to push the fear and worry out of our head, we can still feel the dread deep in our guts making us even more anxious about the now unnamed, free floating fear.

In the midst of it we want answers NOW as we tire of feeling we're all alone living in limbo and we contemplate the future uncertainty and what it all means. We want the pain and uncertainty to go away. We want a moment of peace and tranquility.

But we don't always get what we want when we want it. More often we're left to figure out how we can persevere and endure the uncertain times and changes.  And through these difficult times we find our strength and resiliency and learn what strong stuff we're really made of.

'Relaxation is who you are; Tension is who you think you should be.'

Future Focus Creates Fear and Worry

What makes us tense in transitions is our focus on the future. We fear what won't happen that we want to have happen, and we fear what will happen we don't want to happen. Our fears, expectations and should-thinking leak into our consciousness and muddle our ability to think and act clearly so we do nothing at all.

'Never underestimate your power to change yourself; never overestimate your power to change others.' Dr. Wayne Dyer

Change Your Focus from Future Tense to Present Ease

How do we ease our minds and begin the journey back to taking positive actions to lead us forward to the next stage of a fully-engaged and worthy life?

When you feel overwhelmed and stuck in 'future tense', stop, take a breath, and ease back into the present. Get off the worry track. Take a day off from fixating on your fears or thinking about 'your situation', and engage in activities that let you know you are glad to be alive.

Let it be. Let today unfold without you worrying it to death. 

Give Voice to Your Inner Thoughts. Get your fears and expectations out of the dryer drum churning round and round in your head by talking with a confidant. As long as you keep the same stuff churning in your head, you maintain your fear and faulty thinking. By openly giving voice to your thoughts, you open yourself up to taking action today in ways to positively influence tomorrow.

Take One Positive Step. Step into the day with one action that brings you into enjoying today. Get out and spend time with people you are happy to have in your life NOW to laugh and celebrate your friendship.  Find a way to make a difference in one person's life each day.

Sometimes we just need to remember--life is to be enjoyed. Stop letting your life be determined by fear and worry. Focus on putting memorable activities into your life each day instead.

'To change one's life: Start immediately. Do it flamboyantly. No exceptions.'   William James

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Susan J Meyerott loves helping people become more fully themselves, particularly those working through anxiety, life and career transitions, relationships, and self-esteem issues. She provides a nonjudgmental, growth-oriented environment for you to become the person you’re meant to be—while appreciating the richness of who you already are. Learn more at Lightarted Living Blog

Hafiz: You Are the Elegant Host to All the Marvels in Creation

Throw Wild Parties in a Tree House--On a Limb--In Your Heart!

Light will someday split you open

Even if your life is now a cage,

For a divine seed, the crown of destiny,

Is hidden and sown on an ancient, fertile plain

You hold the title to.

Love will surely bust you wide open

Into an unfettered, blooming new galaxy

Even if your mind is now

A spoiled mule.

A life-giving radiance will come;

The Friend's gratuity will come—

O look again within yourself,

For I know you were once the elegant host

To all the marvels in creation.

 From a sacred crevice in your body

a bow rises each night

And shoots your soul into God.

Behold the Beautiful Drunk Singing One:

From the lunar vantage point of love.

He is conducting the affairs

Of the whole universe

While throwing wild parties

In a tree house--on a limb

In your heart.

Hafiz, 13th century Persian Poet

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes changing easier than ever before.


Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list.