Have you ever watched ducks on a pond in a rain storm? They float and swim around, preen and feed as if nothing were falling from the sky. Every drop strikes, bounces and rolls right off their backs without ever being noticed by the duck.

I was struck, this summer, with an illness that put me out of commission for awhile. I am on the mend now and I am so thankful to be feeling like myself again.  I have realized that good health should be up high on anyone’s wish list. I have always known that being healthy is the best gift that you can have, but it really came home while I was laying in a hospital bed with nothing but time to reflect on my life, my family and friends. It was through this time that I realized more and more what is  important to me.  I had stress in my life, as many of us do, but I wasn’t managing this stress as well as I could have. It is so important that everyone exercises, eats right and does things for themselves that they enjoy, whether that is taking time to read a good book, watch a movie or explore the outdoors. Managing our stress in life can keep us healthier and save our lives.

The Mayo Clinic states there are 8 ways to help reduce your stress:

1. Think Positively
2. Change Your Emotional Response – Develop positive strategies, rather than negative, to handle stressful situations.
3. Embrace Spirituality
4. Protect Your Time – Learn how to say “No”!
5. Restore Work-life Balance
6. Try Meditation – There are plenty of books and links online to teach you how to do this.
7. Keep Your Cool – Try not to let yourself get too upset when things don’t work out the way you want them to. Four As of managing stress: avoid, alter, adapt or accept
8. Maintain a Strong Social Network

After going through this summer of illness,  I feel like I have had a chance to re-evaluate my life; to become a better person, kind of like a do over!  I am “becoming that duck” that lets the stress and worries wash over its back. As soon as I start worrying about something, I catch myself and put it out of my mind. It will take time and effort and probably more than a few times reminding myself not to stress, but I am already feeling the worries slip away.

Worrying and stressing will get you no where. Think about that the next time you begin worrying about things that are out of your control.  If they are not within your capacity to solve at that moment, push those thoughts out of your mind and think about something happy or positive. Think about all the people in your life that make it special. Think about what you have and are grateful for. Those are the things in life that really matter.