Sometimes we know what we want, but we don’t know how to keep our cool in order to get it. Managing our emotions and reactions is a big part of success and general well-being.
Of course, there will inevitably be times in which we feel powerless, because as humans we tend to overthink and overanalyze things to exhaustion. This makes us feel like we don’t really own our experiences and are unable to control what goes on in our lives.
You know what they say…
How much time in our lives do we spend thinking about how badly we’d like to do something, only to find reasons not to? How much time have we spent thinking there’s nothing we can do about certain situations?
When push comes to shove, we forget that our genuine power resides in our ability to respond to different situations in different ways. What we can control is our attitude.
Attitude is everything. I, for one, have been guilty of allowing negative emotions to linger longer that I’d like to. Don’t get me wrong; all emotions, including fear and anger, are natural and can function as a compass to help us discover what we truly want.
But there’s no point in being bitter or holding on to grudges. There’s no point in making excuses rather than creating opportunities for each aspect of our lives that needs a “makeover.”
This is my humble plea:
Let’s use our power. Let’s not overcomplicate our lives. Let’s handle our emotions, attitude, and behavior to improve ourselves and live our lives to the fullest.
Here are some suggestions to start right now.
1. Start your day right.
Always take the time to remind yourself that you get to experience another day. Make the best of it by starting the morning in a way that feels right to you. Invest time in a morning routine that gets you pumped up and ready for what’s to come. Meditating, working out, fixing a special breakfast, some reading or journaling… the possibilities for improving your morning (and therefore your day!) are endless.
Just make sure that you create a routine based on things that are good for you and make you feel happy or satisfied at the same time. A positive morning can give you great peace of mind and you’ll be ready to face the day.
2. Make an effort to keep things simple.
It’s ironic, but sometimes it’s easier to complicate things. Think about it: people fight, worry, and stress over things when they could use that same time to look for solutions instead. Try to keep things as simple as possible and, if things get unnecessarily complicated for you, reach out and ask for help.
The process of becoming financially fit illustrates this point perfectly. Many people struggle to keep track of their finances, savings, and investments. Some people just flat-out say to themselves that they’re just not good with money, as if that was some genetic condition they were born with.
If those same people—instead of giving up and assuming they’ll never reach their financial goals—made an effort to learn money management skills, challenged their beliefs about money, or simply asked for our help, they would save themselves a lot of time and trouble.
The same goes for other skills like cooking and basic self-care like drinking water, exercising, and maintaining healthy relationships: keep things simple and be happy.
3. Check your beliefs.
Behind our actions and emotions are our thoughts and beliefs. One great self-improvement exercise is examining what types of beliefs we’re acting out through our attitudes towards life. For example, if you feel alarmed thinking about the future then it’s very likely that, deep down, you’re afraid something bad will happen. It sounds obvious, but when you actually experience an uneasy emotion, it becomes unbelievably hard to determine why you’re feeling that particular way.
If you tend to get anxious, angry, or sad, don’t be afraid to reassess your own beliefs. There are many situations you can’t change, but you can change what you feel about them by truly challenging your beliefs.
Replace unhealthy and self-limiting thoughts with kind ones.
Always remember that how you talk to yourself is extremely important for your well-being.
Try this approach the next time you get irritated by something silly (like when you’re stuck in a traffic jam). Get used to shifting your focus to the positive side of things and it’ll get easier and easier with time.
4. Face your problems.
You need to take matters into your own hands and take action towards solving your own problems. If you haven’t already, start acting like you’ve got everything under control and handling your stuff (yes, this includes delegating responsibility too!).
At the end of the day, you’re the boss of your own life, so there’s really no reason to not act like one. Respect your skills, abilities, and feelings and use them to your advantage. Face your problems with all you’ve got, and you’ll become empowered by them. There are plenty of ways to get the courage necessary to push yourself into taking positive action. Read our list of tips to boost your self-confidence.
5. Remember just how powerful you are.
Each and every one of us has the ability to experience and try out new things. With the right attitude and frame of mind, you’ll become more aware of your powers until you will feel like you can handle whatever life has in store for you. Don’t stop learning. Don’t stop creating. Don’t stop feeling.
