Relax

I’m easy going. Some say, too laid back. Pressure, stress, and all the things that go along with them seldom grace my psychological doorstep. This is a good thing, because working as a network administrator has, on more then a few occasions, reduced a person to a basket case. In current times, when technology is growing faster then my waistline, it’s hard to keep up with all of the software updates and hardware installs.

Some may say that I don’t care about anything. This is partially true. I would say it’s more like I tend not to worry about things as much as the more stressed in our society. There are concerns in my life, such as my daughters, wife, job, etc… It’s just that I don’t dwell on all of the “what ifs” that could go along with the responsibilities that I have.

The old television series, “Kung Fu”, was one of my favorites growing up. Not so much for the outstanding acting, or the fact that a white guy was playing a Chinese guy, but for the occasional spouts of wisdom that the master would tell the young apprentice, or that Cain would share with the audience.

In one episode, Cain was in this small home with a group of folks being tormented by that weeks evil doer’s. They were all freaking out that the bad guys were coming, and one of the women walked up to Cain and asked him something along the lines of, “Aren’t you worried?” Cain just calmly looked up at her and said, “If I worry, will that change the future?”

I found this one statement extremely profound. Worrying about something will not only not make it happen, but will cause you more stress-related physiological issues.

Another saying I picked up from a fellow Instructor while serving in the Air Force was one he relayed to his students when they started asking a lot of “what if” questions. He would ask them, “What if worms carried machine guns, would birds starve?” Although quite funny, I found it enlightening. Why should we “what if” our future to death? Who cares! Sit down, have a glass of lemonade, and enjoy the now. Do the best you can day-to-day, and handle whatever comes along when/if it shows up.

There are those in my life that are wound a bit too tightly. I try to talk to them, and really find out what is tightening their springs, but it’s not an easy task. Sometimes I can relieve some of their stresses, but many times it just seems like an up hill battle. If I had the ability to impart anything I knew to a person, I wish it were the ability to transfer my stress-relieving outlook on life.

People say don’t sweat the small stuff. I say, it’s all small stuff!

So if you’re a Dad, or even if you’re not, this weekend grab a cold drink, sit on a lounge chair in the backyard, and think about all the horribly stressful things in your life. Now, look at the sky, the clouds, some birds. Now think about those you love, and who make a difference in your life. Enjoy the fact that you know how small your stresses in life are compared to the big picture that is life. Enjoy the weekend, enjoy your family and friends, enjoy life!

After all, the problems can be looked at on Monday. Isn’t that what Mondays are for?