As social beings, tons of interactions and tasks are thrown our way on a day-to-day basis, be it at work or with family. All of it can get overwhelming very fast and not everyone has the same capacity to cope with the congested nature of modern life
If you are finding it tough to keep petty incidents at bay and live life on your own terms, the following 13 secrets on how to not let things bother you is your gateway to a peaceful living.
13 Ways To Stop Letting The Little Things Bother You
If little things get to you easily, you’ll be happy to learn that there is not one, but thirteen ways that can answer the question — “How to not let things bother you so much?”
Let’s dive straight into it!
#1 Acknowledge What’s Out Of Your Control
No matter how intensely you desire to have a say in everything that bothers you, you need to realize that you can only control so much.
There are lots of ifs and buts in a situation and it’s very probable that things don’t turn out how you want them to. If you seek mental peace, you need to stray away from things that you can’t control — if you can’t control something, consider it a given and react accordingly.
#2 Do What’s In Your Power
The point above shouldn’t mean that you need to consider everything as a determinant of your fate. In fact, your proactive and reactive decision-making can have a huge impact on a particular situation.
Hence, you must do all that’s in your power to better and mold a situation as per your preference and if it still goes haywire, look at #1.
#3 Express Gratitude
There are always people who’ve had it better and there are always people who’ve had it worse; choose where to look!
Regardless of how bad things seem, there is always some good stuff to cherish. My biggest piece of advice is to look at people who’ve had it worse than you.
While it’s human nature to envy the people above us, if you could only look the other way, gratitude will engulf your heart.
Gratitude is a great way to shift your mindset and be at peace with the storms around you.
#4 Engage in Physical Activity
Put those sports shoes on and go for a run. If you’re a fitness freak, hit the gym. Are you a sports enthusiast? Play your favorite sport!
Any form of physical activity can act as a great detox and will effectively flush out all the roadblocks in your mind.
Not only does it keep you distracted from the things that bother you, but it can also help you remind yourself that there are million other moments that you can cherish instead of pulling your hair out over little things.
#5 Write Your Feelings Down in a Diary
I know, I know, many of you might have thrown your head back with a sigh “oh, I’m not a writer”. Well, you don’t have to be one!
Writing down how you feel after a frustrating day or about the things that bother you so much can help you get closure. When you write, you begin to think clearly, and the chances of you handling that moment of despair with much more maturity increase.
Also, if you choose to go back to what you wrote at a past moment, it can help you realize how silly you were — you become more aware of yourself and equipped to not let the same things bother you again, ever.
#6 Meditate
If #5 doesn’t appeal to you, this will! Meditation brings you closer to yourself. You understand yourself better – why things upset you, how much do they affect you, etc.
People often misconstrue the motive of meditation. If you think meditation involves focusing on your breath and blocking the negative thoughts, you’re mistaken. Instead, it involves acknowledging your thoughts — letting them pass through you and coming to terms with them.
Meditation will give you clarity and often that is all you need.
#7 Seek Out Friends or Family
Lean on friends or family in your times of distress. It benefits in more than just one way.
Firstly, you have someone to console you and hear you vent your frustration. Secondly, you get a third person’s view on a situation that you’re faced with, which might often open a door that you never even knew existed!
In case you don’t get the above two, you’ll surely find some great entertainment which is bound to make you light in the chest.
#8 Let Go Of Expectations
If you play a situation in your head beforehand and consider the matter done, the reality can bother you to a great extent, and it’ll get harder for you to let it go.
Clinging onto your expectations of a situation or people will only give them the power to hurt you — unintentionally, I might add! Even if it’s as benign as a soccer match, try not to be convinced of a result even before the event takes place.
As mentioned earlier, it’s better to be reactive and consider situations as a surprise instead of hoping that things turn out how you want them to and then finding the motivation to come from that disappointment and bounce back.
Related: How To Stop Overthinking In A Relationship
#9 Stop Overthinking
If I had to put it in one line, I’d say, “Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill”.
A bigger problem than the problem itself is the problems that you end up creating in your head. Overthinking leads to assumptions and those are seldom based on facts. Inevitably, you find yourself stressing over something unrelated to the matter at hand.
Take things as they come; don’t think about a future event, which ties back to #8.
#10 Look For Humor in The Situation
Who said that a good laugh only comes out of happy moments? Humor is a tried and tested coping mechanism.
The capability of little things to bother you is determined by your own reactions to them, and if you choose to laugh them off, they might not bother you at all!
However, this doesn’t mean that you should be hellbent on making a mockery out of every situation; some instances may demand your due diligence and you should act accordingly, albeit with a smile on your face.
Related: Emotional Reactivity – 5 Ways To Be More Mature
#11 Create Space
This can mean both that you give yourself space to think clearly or literally create space around you. While we’ve talked about how to achieve the former (check #4 & #6), the latter will help you feel like you’re in control.
Minimalism means decluttering your residence or workspace i.e. scrutinizing things around you and throwing away those you no longer need. Not only will this clear your home, but it will also clear your heart and your mind.
#12 Consider How Small The Situation Is
Ask yourself this: “Will it matter in 5 years?”
It’s silly that you let something that lasted 10 or 20 seconds or a few minutes have a defining impact over your entire day; maybe the effect rolls over to other days as well!
Pay heed to the pettiness of the situation and remember how insignificant it is in the scheme of things i.e. look at the larger picture.
#13 Don’t Neglect Your Self-Care
Give yourself the value you deserve. My last tip for you is to treat yourself as a guest of a fancy restaurant.
Practise self-care, say NO to stuff that dismantles your peace, give yourself the kind of respect that says, “I’m unavailable to be bothered by little things such as this!”
I hope that the above-mentioned 13 ways of how to not let things bother you have rekindled the spark of positivity inside you and that you’re all geared up to take on the annoyances.
Related: [21 Reasons & Benefits] Don’t Take Life Too Seriously!
Common Questions About Letting The Little Things Bother You
Naturally, you’ll have some questions about things that bother you or that are “bothering” you right now! I’ve tried to pick the 3 most common ones and answered them for you.
How Do You Stop Letting People Affect You?
First and foremost, do not place the responsibility of your happiness on other people’s shoulders.
Secondly, understand that people around you have their own consciousness and school of thought — embrace the differences instead of being rigid about them.
Lastly, let go of expectations, and you inadvertently take away their power to affect you.
How Do You Not Let Things Annoy You?
Contrary to popular belief, a great way to avoid letting the little things bother you is to cut off any channels of energy with those things. This means that you quietly go about your business and stop investing your time and energy into the annoyances.
Additionally, you can consider the annoyances as given and plan your next steps around them instead of cutting through them. Just tell yourself “Let it go” and move on to something or someone else.
How Do I Stop Getting Upset Over Little Things?
Pay attention to the good stuff around you i.e. show gratitude. Don’t let a teeny tiny rotten part of your day poison the remaining 24 hours.
When you feel overwhelmed by things such as a jammed door, a running tap, and the like, take a moment to reflect on the pettiness of the situation and ask yourself, “Do these situations really demand the energy that I’m actually giving to them?”
Also, you can practice meditation, play some sport, but more importantly, avoid overthinking!
What Are You Going To Do Stop Letting The Little Things Bother You?
Thank you so much for reading my 13 secrets for how to not let things bother you.
Add these into your mental tool box, but don’t be afraid to come up with some of your own. Whatever small things are bothering you, I want to hear about how you are going to let them go in the comments!
Related Posts
Online Life Coach – The Complete Guide
