“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” William Arthur Ward.
Have you heard the phrase “Don’t sweat the small stuff?” This essentially means don’t worry about or waste effort on small matters. Instead focus on the big picture of your life and most important priorities. It’s also the title of the best-selling book by Richard Carlson, which is a great read.
Small stuff can amount to spending time getting frustrated by having to queue in a shop or bank etc. It may be getting upset by traffic jams or someone rushing into a car parking space that you had hoped to use. I am sure you can think of countless examples of small things that can irritate, frustrate and disappoint you (if you allow them to).
I had two personal experiences in the past week that acted as a great personal reminder of the importance of not “sweating the small stuff.”
The first experience related to a gentleman that I met in a hospital and started to talk to. He is one of the most positive people I have ever met. His optimistic mindset was truly inspiring.
He shared with me how his life changed dramatically when he was just 42 years old. He went from enjoying a cup of coffee at a service station to having the direction of his life altered significantly in a matter of minutes.
The car he was driving was involved in a head on collision with a lorry that was on the wrong side of the road. After being air lifted to hospital, some weeks later he emerged from a coma. Sadly his life was a complete blank. He was unable to remember his name or anything about his life including his family. He was completely paralysed apart from the use of his arms.
Slowly over the past five years with specialist care and his own determination, he has been able to piece together bits of his life and can now recall some information about his history. He is slowly rebuilding his life and plans one day to write a book about his experience.
His attitude is so positive despite the adversity he has faced. He is determined to make the most of his life and experience it in a new way. Talking to him made me feel very humble.
A few days later, whilst out walking and listening to the radio, I heard a lady talk about what had happened to her husband a few years ago. She explained that her husband was a vet and loved his job and his life. Out of the blue one day, aged 49, without any prior health warnings, he suffered a massive stroke. As a result, he lost the use of everything including his speech. He also developed epilepsy.
This meant that he was prone to fits and couldn’t be left alone. As you can imagine this had a significant impact on her life as well and meant she was unable to go out very much. One day they were introduced to a charity that supplies dogs to support people such as the man that I have described.
The dogs are specially trained to protect and support people with this type of condition. For instance, they can raise the alarm if the person they are supporting has a fit whilst alone. This enabled his wife to be able to go out more and give her a break from her care responsibilities.
These stories really made me stop and think. They are a great reminder that it’s vital to focus on the important things in life such as good health, family and close friends. They reminded me that when I catch myself worrying about stuff to ask myself the question “Will this matter to me a year from now?”
It also prompted me to ensure that I make the most of the opportunities that come my way, not put off what can be done today until tomorrow or a later date.
It has reminded me to be grateful for my good health and all that I have in life and to truly count my blessings. This includes focusing on what I have rather than what I lack. These stories and people have also inspired me to be in the moment more often, to ensure that I have fun and not overly worry about tomorrow or yesterday.
This week why not take a few moments out to pause and reflect and consider if you are spending enough time counting your blessings. Ask yourself “What can I be grateful for today?”
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