One of the most common ways that people create stress and frustration for themselves is by becoming overly rigid and controlling about their life circumstances. They usually have a step-by-step plan in mind and a clear preference about the way things should unfold, and they try their hardest to make their outer conditions adhere to these expectations.
If you have ever done this yourself, then you probably already know that trying to control every tiny detail yourself is exhausting and futile. Life tends to throw curve balls without warning. I can personally attest to many plot twists in my own life. Despite your attempts to plan and direct everything, you rarely end up where you thought you would.
It takes courage to let go and trust the currents of life to carry you where they will. And when you do, you will often find that your destination ends up being even better than the one you were so carefully trying to orchestrate.
There are two key skills that can be helpful in creating a more relaxed approach to life:
The first skill is flexibility. Being flexible means gracefully bending and flowing with life’s changes, without trying to direct and control the unfolding of events yourself. This does not mean that you can’t make plans or set goals, or even have a higher calling or vision for your life. You can still have a general idea of where you would like to end up, and even what the conditions of your life will look and feel like when you get there.
But being flexible about it means loosening your grip on the details and allowing the universe to do some of the heavy lifting on your behalf. Rather than trying to orchestrate every tiny detail, you can focus more on the feeling of the outcome you want to receive and understand that there are probably millions of different ways for you to end up with something that makes you happy. Most of the time, if you will let go and trust the universe to work out the details for you, the outcome ends up being far better than you even could have imagined.
The second important skill to hone is adaptability. This allows you to change directions quickly when something unexpected happens, such as receiving an inspiring idea that you wish to pursue or reaffirming your commitment to a goal when things don’t work out as you planned. Adaptability ensures that failure is not a possibility because you simply take each experience as it comes and keep moving forward, even if you need to sidestep onto a different path every now and then.
If you are willing to approach most of your life experiences with a flexible, adaptable mindset, you will likely find that you are much more relaxed. Life starts to feel like there are many more opportunities out there. No longer will you be trying to resist the changes that come your way or trying to control the uncontrollable. Instead, your inner resistance will lessen, and you will become receptive to an endless flow of opportunities and possibilities in all areas of your life.
