Dealing With Stress

A pond on our hike to Nesho Mine last weekend. Above Ouray Colorado.

Dealing with stress is no easy task yet we have to encounter this task every day.  How you feel and the way you deal with a situation is a choice. I’m reminded of a counselor who would often state “no one can drive your car unless you give them the keys.” You cannot control others’ actions, but you can be responsible for your reactions. The prayer states “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” When applied, this can be a great stress reliever. Look at the situation and ask yourself “is this something I can change?” If so, start exploring positive ways to change the situation. Our attitude has a profound effect on how we deal with situations. Negative attitudes affect our physical, spiritual, and mental well being. When in a particularly stressful situation, try exchanging attitude for gratitude. When you are running late for a meeting because you are stuck in traffic, change your attitude. Instead of being frustrated about the traffic, find some gratitude. Look around and think of all the things you can be thankful for. Sometimes you can find gratitude in the smallest things. You can be thankful for life, health, strength, friends, family, nature, etc. Focusing on gratitude can definitely change your attitude.  Dealing with stress is not easy but it is possible. Don't forget to love always, forgive quickly and smile along the way.

God Bless
Jason

Love Yourself At Every Road Block

A beautiful sunset on our lake the other night.

Goals and dreams are what makes life exciting, motivating, purposeful and worthwhile. When the path is easy and straightforward, it can be the most fulfilling feeling but inevitably obstacles and roadblocks come around the corner; not to tell us our dream is unreachable and unattainable, but to allow us to learn, grow and become the person we need to be in order to get there.
For many of us, once we come across a hurdle, it can simply be what stops our dream in its tracks – the motivation subsides, our beliefs in achieving our goals breaks down and it can seem impossible and dejecting. In a society where we are judged for our looks and age alongside our abilities and competence, having our dreams placed in the hands of others’ opinions of us is a dangerous game and one that will quash the dreams of even the strong-minded of people. If you’re feeling beaten down or even that it’s too late for you to achieve your life-long ambition then try changing the game a bit. To truly achieve what we want in life we need to learn how to embrace ourselves, love ourselves and believe in ourselves. This is very important when it comes to happiness and continuing the path to our dreams and goals. Developing a mindset that keeps you on the path no matter what you are faced with, will prove to be the deciding factor in becoming successful in what you want to achieve in life. So stay positive and keep moving forward. Don't forget to love always, forgive quickly and smile along the way.

God Bless
Jason

Positive Mindset

Long Lake near Crested Butte Colorado.

I'm often asked how can you be so happy all the time? Your life must be perfect? Well surprise no it's not perfect but I choose to make it perfect and not dwell or fret the small stuff. It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind of life, especially in today’s busy world. With so much to worry about, from work and bills to family and social life, even those who seem to have it all together can wake up and feel like their lives are falling apart. When this happens, it’s extremely important that you hit the brakes, take a look at your life, and think about what you can change so that you’re actually living and not just going through the motions. Also make sure that your not living to work. We should work to live not live to work. Next don't get frazzled. Life is full of little annoyances that we can’t control. If we paid attention to every little thing that got in the way of us having a “good” day, we’d never be happy. You’re going to spill your coffee sometimes. You’re going to hit every red light on the way home from work some days.Once you recognize that Murphy’s Law is one of the only constants in life, you’ll realize things could be much worse, and you’ll be able to let the little things fall by the wayside. Lastly be sure to love yourself. If you don’t love yourself, no one else will. On that same token, you should never compare your life to anyone else’s. You have no idea what they’ve been through in their life, and they have no idea what you’ve gone through in yours. And don’t worry if other people have something negative to say about you. People will talk. But it’s those people who are unhappy enough with their own lives that they have to find the negatives in other people’s lives to make themselves feel better. Live your own life, and love every minute of it. Work on these few things and you'll be creating a positive mindset. Don't forget to love always, forgive quickly and smile along the way.

God Bless
Jason