Happiness Hack #54 – Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Don’t Get Angry Over a Parking Spot
Have you ever been waiting on a parking spot and had someone sneak in at the last moment and take your space? How angry did you get? What about when someone cuts you off in traffic or won’t make room for you to merge? Do you get angry when the weather changes and throws a wrench in your plans?
We often give up our happiness to small inconveniences we can’t control. Little things happen and we let our initial feelings of frustration and anger smolder all day and eventually explode at the next small inconvenience.
Happiness is based on our ability to let things go and to understand what we can control and what we can’t control. Initial feelings of anger and frustration are natural and are created by chemicals released into our brains. But those chemicals usually only last about 6 seconds and everything after those six seconds has to be manufactured by our negative ruminations.
Let the small stuff go. Focus on what is good in your life and spend your moments appreciating what you have instead of ruminating about what didn’t go your way. Think about what is positive and let your happiness conquer your frustration and anger.
Don’t sweat the small stuff and you will be happier.