Emotional (perspective) is the biggest issue in dealing with stress. I heard a comedian just the other day say something that seems really true right now.

“Everyone seems to be upset about everything, all the time”

I talk about the book, “Practicing the Presence of God” all the time. Brother Lawrence made the task of washing dishes to be a time of communion with God. He changed his perspective on the purpose of washing dishes. 

That should always be our goal.

Good people bring you happiness

Bad people bring you experiences

The worst people bring you lessons

The best people bring you memories

The people in our lives do not change, just our perspective. The “challenging” people are actually the most important people in our lives. They teach us about ourselves.

Carl Jung said: 

“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves”.

Everyone is our mirror. 

Our own reflection in others shows us not only who we are, but also how to be better.

I heard this parable a long time ago and I will try to give it justice in my recitation.

A man took a quart glass jar and filled it will flat rocks to the top (the type you use for skipping on water)

He then asked his friend, “is the jar full”?

The friend said, “yes”

The man then took rough gravel and was able to pour a lot of it into the jar

He then asked his friend, “is the jar full”?

The friend said, “yes”

The man then took sand and was able to put a lot of it into the jar

He then asked his friend, “is the jar full”?

The friend said, “yes”

The man then took water and was able to pour a lot into the jar

He then asked his friend, “is the jar full”?

The friend said, “yes”

The only thing that changed was the friend’s perspective on what “full” really was.

Always ask yourself, “What can I learn from this interaction/situation/person”? 

Everyone on the surface of the earth is here to be our teacher if we are smart enough to listen and ask a different question! The challenging part is to be able to look at the interaction from the perspective of learning. 

Not easy, but one of the most valuable lessons we can learn for controlling our stress, and our health in general.

This is one of the most important parts of our life if we are strong enough to embrace it.

T