Desiderata

Go placidly amidst the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its shams, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Stop and check in with yourself.

Stop for a moment. Think about it.  You are luckier than you think. You probably have enough food.  You have a roof over your head.  Right at this very moment, you're able to read, to listen and to function.

Life is not as tough as you think.

Are you important?

We are part of something bigger than we can imagine.  Our role today is a tiny part of a truly enormous picture we cannot begin to conceive. In that picture we all have a role to play, from the smallest and most lowly serf, to the grandest prince. Our future as a species relies on each of us fulfilling that role, however humble. In this picture we are all equal. To fail to see this is to be blind and most monumentally ignorant.

To have a free Mandela, we needed a student demonstrator failing their course in a London college. To have a young entrepreneur we needed a Bill Gates creating a windows system. To see the beauty of the dawn across the mountains from my office, we need a window cleaner.

Managing Stress #10 Tell someone you love them.

Step 10: Tell someone you love them.

Even if they already know it. Tell them anyway. They may need to hear it.

Managing Stress #9 Throw away or sell some things you no longer need.

Step 9: Throw away or sell some things you no longer need.

Letting go of the things that are redundant is a healthy thing to do. After you have tried it once or twice, make a point of doing it once a month.

Managing Stress #8 Get through a day without spending any cash.

Step 8. Get through a day without spending any cash.

Try to be less of a consumer. You’ll find it liberating. As a student or a teenager you managed it everyday. Just for a change see if you can return to that state of mind.

Once you’ve done this once or twice, look for a few simple means of reducing expenditure. This could be as simple as driving less, or using public transport or your bicycle.

Did you know that in London, it’s not unusual to sit on a bus and find yourself next to a cabinet minister? Put aside your prejudice about public transport, and enjoy the cash you save.

Managing Stress #7 Spend less time at work.

Step 7: Spend less time at work.

It’s your life. Either through better organization, delegation or automation you should be able to reduce your workload a little. Some tasks are likely less important than you think. By addressing this you will be in better shape to do those tasks that actually are important.

List the top ten tasks you have to do. Arrange them in priority order. Take the bottom three and see if they can be handed off. Chances are there’s someone that will likely want the additional responsibility. Remember, you got into this state because you are probably doing too much. Make smart choices, and unload some of the workload.

Everyone likes to think they are essential. Most of them are wrong. Give yourself a break, and catch your breath.