Things You'll Need:
- A quiet room
- To be left alone for at least fifteen minutes per day (whilst you are awake)
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Step 1
Most of your stress comes from the pressure you put on yourself to fulfil some imagined responsibility that you have created based on what are, at the end of the day, unrealistic expectations. So, get yourself alone into a quiet room, put on some soft music, like Enya, and read on.
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Step 2
You will most certainly have one top thing that is "making you crazy." Close your eyes and tell yourself that whatever this problem is that you cannot snap your fingers and make it go away and moreover that you can only start from this point (the present) to make positive changes to your life.
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Step 3
Now, come to terms with the fact that no matter how much you might have screwed up at some point, that ultimately you have always tried to act in the best interest of yourself and those around you, even if you have failed. If you drink too much, it probably is because you are using the alcohol to treat depression. If you wish you had more contact with a family member, then don't assume you are hated by them.
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Step 4
In short, stop holding yourself responsible for the present! The whole idea of "accepting responsibility" and generally feeling guilty will only exacerbate your negative feelings, so take a load off and put down the world you have placed on your shoulders.
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Step 5
It is okay to cry, feel despair, feel helpless, worry, and generally have moments when you feel everything is awful. But right now, your job is to forget about everything for fifteen minutes and focus on that one big problem as a giant planet on your shoulders that you have been carrying around. Drop the planet to the ground and walk away from it (figuratively speaking).
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Step 6
Now, pretend that you are not responsible for anything that has happened in the past, on the surface of the ugly planet at your feet, but are only responsible now for what happens in the future. 90% of the mass of that giant planet of problems you dropped to the ground is the belief that somehow you can go back in time and change things.
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Step 7
Now, imagine the planet shrinking to the size of a little ball as you take away the bulk of its weight consisting of your guilt and place the now tiny planet into your pocket. The planet is now the size a marble, which will no longer weight you down and stop you from using your strength to begin making improvements. In short, stop holding yourself responsible even if you did mess up. It is time to move on and work within your capabilities not to repeat the error again and/or begin work on improvement.
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Step 8
Before leaving the room, take 10 deep breaths with your eyes closed and after each breath remember that you are no longer carrying that planet of problems on your back. You are no longer carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. You are only capable of acting within the limits of a human being who is currently in your situation, so focus on the tiny planet in your pocket which represents the problem removed from all of your guilt and self-imposed culpability.
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Step 9
Finally, leave the room and feel lighter on your feet.
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Step 10
Go the the second part of this series: http://www.ehow.com/how_4722709_life-part-positive-thinking-movement.html
