This post will be a tough pill to swallow for some, and others an eye-opener, nevertheless, it’s time we all make a change. How many times a day do you find yourself upset, stressed, and anxious? I bet for many of you, this happens every day, no matter what and no it’s not because your job sucks or whatever else you’ve come up with. The reason is that you let things get to you, which shouldn’t and for those saying “oh you have no idea what I am going through,” trust me I do. Therefore, this post will take on personal, social and business struggles head-on.

Business

This is the easiest one of all in my opinion because all it takes is the courage to dissociate money and the job. What this means is they are two separate entities, you need to decide which one is more important to you. A job that pays well in a toxic environment to afford a lavish lifestyle or a healthy work environment for less money. As an entrepreneur working with various startups, I can tell you a healthy work environment wins every time, no matter how much less they pay. When you are in a good environment you thrive, and it is easier to work your way up the corporate ladder. Moreover, in most cases, you will have fewer expenses on stress coping mechanisms like therapy, alcohol, drugs or some other escape method.

However, I know some of you have debt, bills, rent as well as other expenses that make you feel like there is no choice, other than sacrificing your passion for a little more money. Let me be the first to tell you do not do it, instead start minimizing these expenses. Figure out the bare essentials and stick to them until you can afford to live the life you want. Start by calculating all your expense, bills, loan payments, food, gym membership and medication, if you take any. Use this number as your monthly must. Once you know this number look at opportunities that align with your passion and can hit your monthly must. I know this is not ideal because it feels like you will be living paycheck to paycheck, but I promise it isn’t. In the beginning, this means doing less than you want to, yet you will notice that you are much happier and radiating positive energy. Through this, you will attract more opportunities and lead you in the direction you want to be going.

Next week, I will write a post on business expense management to help guide you through this process.

Social

The most time-consuming part of the day and week is social obligations. I do not mean going out with friends, rather time spent on social media platforms, majority of our days consists of scrolling Instagram, responding to snapchat’s, texting and keeping up with other peoples lives. Unfortunately, none of this will help with real growth, no matter how important it is to keep up appearances or engage with everyone else.

The people who matter most will understand if you don’t respond promptly to them, as you take some time to get through daily goals. If you think otherwise, then this portion is definitely for you.

Social media might be amazing for marketing and creating connections, but do not be a slave to it. This type of thinking creates unnecessary stress and anxiety, let appearances go, in addition to the approval of others. It DOES NOT MATTER, chasing trends and looking for approval doesn’t make you whole, and won’t help you escape life. Once you remove your passions, and goals from the forefront to purse social media approval, a losing battle occurs because you are giving up authenticity.

Personal

Bearing the above section in mind, finding the root cause is the first step in removing personal struggles. Take anxiety, for example, something usually triggers it, a feeling, word, memory, anything. When this happens we react, and this reactive nature is the source of not just anxiety, but all the other emotions you experience daily. There are many ways to stop reacting negatively, and I am going to share one of them below.

Take a few minutes between tasks to check in with yourself, acknowledge thoughts as well as feelings that are swirling one by one. Through this, you are setting aside time to deal with whatever is going on before it takes control of your day. Focusing all your energy on yourself for a few minutes like this is the best way to check-in and deal with problems head-on.

That said, there are other ways to approach this like meditation, deep breathing or personal mental cues. I find that it takes some time to figure out what works for you, but knowing that you aren’t alone on this journey makes it easier.

You may take my advice or not, but I know that incorporating one or all of these in daily life makes a difference.

E