The way we perceive the world and the experiences we have are largely impacted by our minds and thoughts.
We’ve all had those days when things just aren’t going our way and the smallest inconvenience sends us into a downward spiral. Like that time your bag strap got stuck in the door handle and you burst into a rage of fury, very nearly tearing the door from its hinges – sound familiar? Chances are that you were in a stressed and frustrated frame of mind long before that conniving door handle ruined it all.
Some days are better than others and the various stressors in life can trigger us in different ways – the only thing we can control is the way we respond to it. Instead of continuing down the path of negativity, try taking a step back and checking in.
Taking yourself too seriously often stems from your internal critic getting in the way and clouding your judgement. We tend to put a massive amount of pressure on ourselves to be a certain way and present ourselves and our work with a predetermined standard in mind. When we take ourselves too seriously, it is similar to thinking that the world revolves around us – which, of course, it doesn’t, but sometimes it takes getting out of our own heads and reminding ourselves of this. You are only human and even in the direst of situations, a shred of humor can be found.
In an excerpt from Mike Robbins’ book, Nothing Changes Until You Do, he explains a situation where his denture breaks off and he is left without a front tooth right before a key note speech in front of hundreds of people. We suggest reading more about his experience here, but ultimately it took getting out of his own head and seeing the humor in it all to move out of a space of crippling anxiety and insecurity. It is a lesson we can all use in our daily lives.
Be human, make mistakes, laugh, let go of what you can’t control, and move forward.
To quote an article published by The Good Trade, “If you find yourself forcing control today, loosen your grip. The world will not always bend to your will, which means it’s time to embrace a little flexibility on your end.”
Life is too short to take yourself so seriously.