Sometimes you have little, to no, control over the things that happen to you or around you.

Do you find yourself obsessively trying to gain enough control over others, or the situations you find yourself in, in a vain attempt to prevent bad things from happening?

Or…

Do you become anxious and worry about literally everything? As if over-thinking of all the worst case scenarios will somehow stop them from happening.

Neither strategies are successful in anything other than creating more stress for you.

Here are six ways to stop stressing about the things you can’t control:

  1. Determine what you can control.

Sometimes, all you can control is your effort and your attitude. Place all your energy into the things you can control, and you’ll be much more effective.

  1. Identify your fears.

Are you predicting a disaster? Do you doubt your ability to cope? So… what would you do if the worst case scenario came true?

You’d struggle for a while, for sure, but there’s a good chance you’re resilient enough to bounce back. Acknowledging that you can handle negative scenarios can help you focus your energy into more productive places.

  1. Concentrate on yourself in order to influence.

To have the most influence, you need to be in control of your own behaviour. So do your best to keep a positive focussed attitude.

Also remember, don’t attempt to fix people who don’t want to be fixed.

  1. Solve the challenge.

Focus your thoughts on ways to realistically prevent problems and you’ll increase your chances of success. Acknowledge that negative thoughts and avoidance aren’t usually that helpful.

Distract yourself for a few moments with another activity before returning refreshed and ready to solve the challenge.

  1. Create a stress management plan.

And I don’t mean drinking too much, binge watching TV, and complaining – they’ll just create more problems for you over the long-term.

I mean participating in some pro-active stress relief strategies such as exercising, eating healthily and participating in leisure activities. Be sure you’re getting enough sleep. Make time for these activities regardless of how busy you are because the rewards are more than worth it.

  1. Be your own cheer-leader.

By repeating a few positive healthy statements in times of stress or anger, you can help combat negative thinking. Remind yourself, “I’m stronger than I think”, “I can handle this” or “I can do it” in order to drown out that negativity.

Train your brain to think differently and you’ll begin to accept that while you can’t control every situation, you can control how you think, feel, behave in order to achieve better results.

Visit here to download a free ‘Stress-buster’ mp3