I used to spend a lot of energy worrying about things that were not worth the effort. I have a tendency to overreact. If you know me, I am stating the obvious. My dad would see me get upset and ask me,

“Will this matter in 10 years?”

If I said, “no.” He would tell me that it was just a frustration. That perspective was helpful, even for a hormonal 14 year-old girl!

There are enough things in life that do matter.

Don’t waste precious time worrying about things that don’t.

In the heat of the moment it can be difficult to distinguish important (and lasting) from trivial.

Our time on earth is finite. Some days seem so long they’ll never end, but in the scheme of things our time here is short.

How would you spend your days if you were told you only had one month to live?

Would you put off making that call to your best friend because there is a huge pile of ironing to do? Would you stop worrying about the last 10 pounds you have to lose and enjoy an ice cream cone with your children?  Maybe you wouldn’t worry so much about what people thought and make that decision you know is right for you and your family.  Maybe you would even discover a newfound confidence at work and go for that promotion because what’s the point in holding back? Choose carefully how you invest your thought life. Make your thinking productive. Pick your battles. Don’t sweat the small stuff.  

By shifting your focus to the good stuff, by choosing what you think about, by making sure you only spend your time on important things that you actually have control over, you will find yourself with more energy! You’ll have less stress and more fun. It is inevitable life will throw you a curveball or two. Yes, you will have to deal with some unpleasant circumstances from time to time. But if you take a moment to reflect before the panic sets in, you will be in a much better place to deal with things.  

Consider what the problem actually affects – is it something you will remember in 10 years’ time? If the answer is no, then ditch the problem! It is probably not worth your time or effort. If it is something that will matter, even in time, then it is worth some thought.  But first consider whether it’s something you can actually change or influence.  If not, drop it. You cannot afford to waste energy on something over which you have no influence.  If it does matter and you can do something about it, make a plan and get it out of the way!