How Do You Handle Stress? Don't Let Frustration Test Your Patience!
It’s the Little Things That Matter
At one point in my life, I began to lose patience with myself. Many daily routines were becoming frustrating and stressful.
One major trigger of daily stress and frustration was a software program utilized by my company, Customer Relationship Management tool, or CRM.
One frustrating element of this program was the email feature, which had a programming glitch. An email was my primary form of communication with clients, co-workers, and staff. My frustration with CRM focused on the program’s irritating habit of jumping the cursor up a row as I entered text. At times I looked up from my paperwork to the monitor and realized words I’d intended for one sentence were now inserted in the row above.
I had several choice words for the software provider with each frequent occurrence. This may seem trite to you, but as I experienced it on a day-after-day basis, the software glitch resulted in an ongoing stressor. It was an easy target for utilizing the process we'll discuss momentarily. You may learn more about this, and many other subjects, in my book, The Experiential Approach.
Having experienced enough frustration, I realized I had the tools to bring this situation under control. I chose to use the valuable technique I’d learned along the way. The results were quick and effective. My daily attitude improved immediately. You’ll soon be introduced to this effective technique.
Prescription Please!
I discovered that I had transparent or hidden beliefs that were the basis of my frustration. I use the term transparent because the beliefs were hidden from me. I did not realize I was carrying them in my belief bank.
The business owner I was employed at once stated, “Men lose patience as they age.” He explained that he was experiencing more frustration with situations and that he had less patience with each passing year. I agreed with him and adopted his belief that men lose patience as they age. I was losing patience as I grew older.
I found other transparent beliefs that I harbored. These disempowering beliefs included; ‘I don’t have the patience I used to have’ and 'I am more impatient with myself than I am with others' (my wife may disagree). Hidden beliefs were interfering with my day-to-day business and personal life.
The simple remedy was the creation of new beliefs and powerful intentions that would carry my life forward in a positive direction. The magical element of the process included the magnification of choices presented in the following days. I created beliefs like 'I decide to avoid stress,' 'I easily switch my focus to the positive,' and 'I don't sweat the small stuff.'
As I decided to implement these changes with powerful intentions (goals), the everyday choices I previously ignored remained. However, they were magnified as a flashing neon light as each opportunity became available. This resulted from releasing my old beliefs, creating new beliefs and powerful intentions, and watching the neon lights show.
As old beliefs were released and replaced with new positive beliefs, there was a shift in my thinking. It was not until I created the powerful intentions that I felt a significant event was on the horizon. Each time I felt myself in the grasp of a stressful episode, the choice was clear; allow the stress to consume me or face the situation head-on and choose not to let it bother me. The two were like red and green blinking lights beckoning me to choose one or the other.
The obvious choice was to avoid the stress. Anticipating the next opportunity to make another choice became exciting. Over and over again, each day, opportunities for choices presented themselves. My new beliefs and powerful intentions led me to a new attitude toward life.
By the end of week one, I was chuckling at what I used to consider stressors. I found myself keenly aware of other work-related stressors as well. It was easy for me to decide not to harbor these stressors. At first, I experienced the stress instantly and then chose to let it go. As each stressful situation arose, choosing to avoid the stress became easier.
Making the Right Choices
The key to success in life, and with this solution, is making the right choices. Nothing else we do will matter if our choices are constantly wrong. Of course, we all make erroneous choices, but if our beliefs are sound and our intentions powerful, choices will present themselves, giving rise to opportunities for success.
The more conviction we hold in our beliefs and the more power we transmit to our intentions, the more immense and abundant the choices and the opportunities for happy and successful lives. The option to succeed or fail is always there for each of us. We tend to walk in the dark or follow the light based on our daily choices. Choose the light!
The above information was derived from Dean Nelson's book, The Experiential Approach.