#2013alive: The alive Team is Trying to Let the Little Things Go - Are You?

It’s month 2, week 3 of our 12 Months of Wellness. So far this week, we’ve been trying to let the little things go.

Stories from alive staff

On Monday I shared a personal story about my struggles to let it go, and I have to say I’ve been doing much better, simply by trying to be more self-aware. But I haven’t been taking on this challenge by myself. Here’s what other alive staff had to say about their experiences!

On tackling the bigger issues

“I find that whenever my partner and I are short with each other, it’s usually because there are often other, bigger issues involved—which may or may not have to do with us. Whenever I get the sense that one of us seems overly irritated by the little things, I make a point to find time to talk about the bigger things, such as work, school, deadlines, bills, or whatever. Often, we’ll find the support we’ve been looking for—and from the person best at giving it!”

On—gasp!—leaving the laundry unfolded

“I tend to have some control issues, and come by them honestly. It wouldn’t be quite as bad if it didn’t extend to areas that I can’t control, or the tiniest of details at home. Confession time … with the craziness of life, the laundry has not been folded for a few days now—all clean, but just sitting on the futon in our spare room.

“While I felt like a total slob, and found it was constantly on my mind, my mother-in-law helped me to realize that’s a little thing, and that it’s okay to let it go. With this in mind, I am trying to let the little things go, and not nag my fiancé and stepson as much. Life’s about enjoying our time together, not stressing about every little detail. Cross your fingers for me, as this is much easier said than done!”

On not worrying

“I was meeting my mom and cousin for tea and I parked my car around the corner from the location in a FREE parking spot! Free parking is very exciting, because it simply doesn’t happen very often. However, as I parked my car and began to walk away I worried maybe it wasn’t actually a free parking spot and maybe my car would get towed. I quickly remembered about [the] and thought, “This is a moment I need to let go.” I’m not much of one for nagging but I’m always worrying in my head that I haven’t made the right decision. I’m glad the blog came to mind and put my worrying to rest so I could enjoy a nice evening tea with good company.”

On shutting down for a few minutes

“When I get home from work, my husband is often there to greet me at the door. Which is wonderful, right? But, though I’m sure he’s very interested in what I’ve been up to during the day, and is always concerned about my well-being, he instead launches into the stories of his day. This usually happens before I’ve even closed the door!

“To be fair, they’re usually things that involve me, such as how much damage the dishwasher repair guy did to our newly laid hardwood floor. Trouble is, though, when I get home from work, especially after sitting through traffic snarls and ugly weather and having to run errands on the way home, the one thing I like to do when I get home is take a deep breath, relax—and just shut down for a few minutes. My solution? Yesterday, I took a deep breath, smiled, and asked my husband for a date—for 30 minutes after I arrived home. It worked perfectly!”

Tell us your stories!
Have you been following along at home, trying to let the little things go in your life? Let us know how you’re doing! Drop us a line via blog posts or Facebook comments, or by using the Twitter hashtag #2013alive to let us know how you’re doing on your 2013 journey! And download February’s goal sheet to track your progress.