There was a day I found myself thinking about the contrast between being happy and unhappy, which led me to reflect on the value—or lack thereof—of stress.
Now, I’m not someone who believes that we can simply say, “I choose not to feel stress,” and magically make it disappear. But, I do think there’s merit in taking a closer look at it.
Start by doing an inventory of the times stress has actually been beneficial to you. For me, lying awake at night, replaying the day or worrying about what’s to come, has never led to anything positive. It’s never resulted in a breakthrough or a solution. In fact, less than 1% of the things I’ve worried about have ever come to pass.
Stressful thoughts in the middle of the night? They’ve never led to a better outcome for me. Never have I solved the problem causing the stress while lying awake, staring at the ceiling. The truth is, stress from late-night overthinking has never brought anything but more stress.
So, why do so many of us default to this pattern? Why do we let stress take over when we could be resting or resetting for the challenges ahead?
It’s because at night, we’re stripped of the distractions and noise that keep our minds busy during the day. Left in silence, we often choose to focus on the anxieties lurking in the back of our minds. But here’s the reality check: we are 100% in control of our thoughts—always. If we choose to dwell on stress, that’s on us.
Strange, right? But it’s true. Every time, we have the choice to redirect our thoughts toward something positive. Yet, we often let stress win.
Here’s another thought: wouldn’t it be better to choose happiness instead? To focus on the things that bring joy and fulfillment, rather than the things that rob us of sleep and peace of mind?
Just a random thought for the day. But maybe, just maybe, happiness is the way.