Last month I posted a quick life update here and I talked a little bit about protecting your peace. In all honesty, I think it’s one of the most underrated pieces of advice there is. Sometimes after chatting with a friend and hearing what is currently bothering them, it opens my eyes to how much control we really do have. We get to decide how to handle situations and if we allow something to bother us or not.
Protecting your peace goes deeper than just keeping your sanity in bigger situations. It all stems from our day-to-day routines, our jobs, our friends, our family, and most importantly, ourselves. We need to start taking accountability in the fact that the way we react to something is a direct reflection of ourselves, not of who or what we’re reacting to. I’ll say that again. The way that we react to something is a direct reflection of ourselves, not of who or what we’re reacting to. How you respond is your responsibility. Sometimes it’s better to not react at all, because even no reaction at all is reacting.
You need to take a good look at your life and where your stress is coming from. Whoever is a stressor in your life needs to go, family included. Don’t buy into the line that family is family and you have to settle for being treated with disrespect just because you share DNA. Whatever is a stressor in your life needs to go, jobs included. Yes, even if you’ve worked there for 25 years and you have every excuse in the book. Get out of your comfort zone and leave.
Realize that the way people treat you is a reflection of themselves, not of you, and not of the current situation. Realize that even if you lose 100 bad people but you have 10 good ones left you’re better off than you were before. And that even if you get a really big bonus next year if you just keep working at this place that you hate, there is no bigger bonus than good mental health. Life is too short. We’re only here for so long, we must enjoy it. Protect your peace at all costs.
