The Serenity Prayer

So, it's that time again. I know of several people around me who are facing tough times right now. And there are some around me who are probably suffering and have not said anything about it at all. The economy is bad, jobs have been lost, life is changing our circumstances every day. As I have professed before, I am not a religious person. But I do believe in the power of positive thought and knowing that I can only change a small part of what happens around me each and every day. If I am happy with me, everything else will fall into line. I've been through some rough stuff in my own life in the past several years, but it was once I realized that I was okay with ME, I didn't need to sweat what was happening around me that was in no way under my control or influence. Then, there are the mantras that keep me grounded. When I start to flounder or feel that pressure of life just pushing too hard, one of the mantras I turn to is the Serenity Prayer. You know this - it's most often associated with Alcoholics Anonymous, but it is a strong set of ideas to ascribe to. Read. Reflect. Breathe.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

UPDATE: In scanning around to find good stuff on stress, how to deal with stress, etc, I found this awesome list of how to better deal with the stressors around you. Sometime ago I did a post called the "Keys to Happiness." This is very much like that list except even MORE extensive. Are you stressed or tend to be stressed a lot? Copy and paste this list into a word document, print it, post it, learn it, live it and revisit it EVERY DAY!!!

Traits of Stress-Hardy, Resilient People

1. They have a sense of meaning, direction, and purpose. They are value-centered rather than reactive and defensive. They understand that emotions are great sources of energy and motivation but are often poor guides for action. Instead these people use their values as guides.
2. They realize that the quality of our lives depends on how we focus our energy and our attention. They try to align their thoughts and actions with their values. They know how to motivate themselves to take action.
3. They don’t judge themselves or others harshly when things go wrong. They focus on what they want, not on what they don’t want.
4. They are able to tolerate ambiguity, uncertainty, and imperfection. They have a long-range perspective, so they give themselves and others room to grow. They can afford to be resilient, flexible, and creative because they are centered in their values.
5. They are reasonably optimistic and have a sense of humor. Even though they are dedicated to doing things well, they don’t take themselves too seriously.
6. They take responsibility for their mental programming, their emotions, and their actions. If they have ineffective ways of thinking and behaving, they evaluate them and make appropriate changes.
7. They look at adversity as a challenge rather than as a threat. They realize that no matter how the present situation turns out, they will learn and grow from it.
8. They respect themselves and other people. They have a spirit of cooperation, looking for win-win solutions rather than trying to win over other people or ignoring their own wants and needs because of fear.
9. They are grateful for the good things in their lives.
10. They know how to mourn the inevitable losses in life. They know how to let go of things they have no control over.

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