COFFEE BREAK

Today life has become very busy. Indeed very busy. Market research revealed that people are tired of their lives running them instead of the other way around.

That's what happened to Miraval's tennis instructor, Eric Hinchman. After playing competitively for most of his life, he had enough.


He said. "It was becoming not a whole lot of fun for me, so I think at that point you have to re-evaluate it and see, 'Why am I playing, why am I teaching, why am I doing this? Just to make some money, or am I doing it because I enjoy it?'"

In one of my solitary walks, I have observed that people have become so weary of surviving life. They have become very focused on their own destinations, which way to go and what pathway to trudge on to. People have become so engrossed with making money, making money, and making money. Thus they forget a lot of things.

Let me ask you these questions. What was the first thing you bought with your first salary? Where did you buy your first pair of shoes? How much is your graduation fee in college? Anyone?

Allow me to ask you another set of questions. Who helped you make your assignments in grade school? Who was your high school best friend? Where do you usually hangout in college?

Comparing the two sets of questions, which set is easier to answer?

Trying to answer the two sets of questions myself, I realized, that all the glamour and glitters contained in this world are not the things that define us, but rather the simple things that we enjoy and the people that we care about.

In the book of M.Scott Peck, The Road Less Travelled, he started his writing by saying that life is difficult. Because of this harsh reality, people get into the spell of working more than 8 hours a day to live what he called a “comfortable life”. Getting into the rush of surviving life, people fell into the dungeon of a weary and stressed life.

A close friend of mine invited me for a cup of coffee. We talked about our experience. We talked about life. Our conversation went on until we hit on the topic managing life’s stressors. And I tell u she is an authority.

She told me to Change What You Can Change. Which of your stressors can you change? For instance, you may often get stuck in traffic when commuting. Ask yourself how you can change the situation. Can you start work later to avoid heavy traffic? Can you take public transportation? Would listening to music or to books that are taped help you relax when driving? Think of a few ways to change these stressful situations. You can then decide what will best help reduce your stress.

Second. Let Go of What You Can't Control. Which of your stressors are beyond your control? For instance, you may have to deal routinely with a difficult person. Know that if you can't change a stressor, your best choice may be is to let it go.

Third. Put a Positive Spin on Stress. Seeing things in a positive way can help you deal with stress better. Think of your stressors as challenges you can handle. If you have negative thoughts, learn to change them to positive ones.

Lastly. Make Time for Yourself. In today's world, there is often too much to do in too little time. It may seem hard to make time for yourself. But try to spend just a few minutes each day doing something you enjoy. This can improve the quality of your life and your mental outlook. Also, you'll be more productive when handling your day-to-day duties. And you'll be in a better frame of mind to cope with stress.

So, the next time you’re stressed, have a coffee break and remember the CLPM formula, change that stressor that you can, Let go of what can’t control, Put a positive spin on stress, and Make Time for Yourself. Once your stress free, do not forget to pay your bill.