You know that old saying that you can see a glass as either half-empty or half-full and therethrough see whether you’re a pessimist or an optimist? An other way to look at it, is that the glass could be overflowing. When it’s too full with positive experiences (like for me when I lived in Hawaii), it can feel overwhelming. And when it’s too full with negative experiences (like not getting your needs met, others’ bad treatment of you that you’re depending on etc), it’s too much stress. So, the first thing you need to do, in order to manage your stress better, is to decide what is in your glass:

• List all your positive things going on right now
• List all your negative things going on right now
• Lift out and say no to things that you either can postpone or simply turn down
• For every positive but overwhelming item, think of what your also need to tend to
• For every negative and stressful item, think of what you can do afterwards for fun

The point is, that when we live with our glasses too full, we don’t have the necessary inner space to make good decisions and take positive action in a calm and deliberate way. This also means that we will react much stronger to whatever more is coming our way, whether positive or negative. To gain a better balance, make sure you give yourself what you need, that you can do, such as enough fresh air, sleep and good nutrition. It can also be to not push yourself and rather re-schedule. If you think about it, the people you have agreed to meet with, deserves the best of you, both for their sake and your own!

And breathe.