Today I was grumpy...

I’ll admit it.

I felt irritable, anxious, and kind of snappy. There were many times where I felt like crying. I was frustrated at little things and tensed up when thinking about small tasks.

I woke up to find that our water didn’t work. My mom rushed me out the door to find a part to fix our water problem. I had to skip breakfast. And I couldn’t brush my teeth. I was a little irritated.

I let my dang undies get in a bunch.

Throughout the day I realized more and more how I was letting such little things affect my attitude. I dreaded doing everything that I had on the to-do list. I dreaded working through the small problems that I imagined would happen as a result of the small tasks. I dreaded all the things I wanted to do but would miss out on because of the things that demanded my attention first.

As I reflect on today and realize how easily I allowed my undies to get in a bunch, I’d like to give you some advice to help prevent your undies getting that way as well. Here are some reminders I had to tell myself:

Take it one thing at a time.

We get so caught up in looking at the big picture that we forget to look at the small steps instead. When we focus on the end goal of completing the whole checklist, we allow ourselves to be overwhelmed. We feel discouraged. We doubt. We lose ambition.

But when we focus on one single step at a time, one task to accomplish, things don’t seem as monstrous. Things don’t seem as impossible.

I relate this to running, because I find it to be so applicable for how my mind works. When I’m running and I’m focused on hitting that certain mile mark or time frame, I get discouraged. I think about all the steps and energy it’ll take to get there.

But when I focus on taking one step at a time, when I focus on the small successes along the path, I feel more energized, more encouraged, more determined. If we focus on taking life one day, one moment, one minute at a time, things don’t seem as scary. Take it one thing at a time.

Realize how small this is.

So many thoughts I allowed myself to think today were totally blown out of proportion. So what I didn’t have water for a few hours? There are people that struggle with that every single day! There are people that have to walk miles and miles just to get water! And I’m sitting here pouting about having to drive 20 miles to find a missing part to fix my problem? What the heck was I thinking.

Unless your problem is dealing with life or death, it’s probably not as significant as you think it is.

Take a step back and ask yourself, “Will this really matter in five years?” Your answer is probably a no, so let the weight be lifted off your shoulders. You’re giving size to a giant who’s really just a dwarf.

Don’t give life to problems that aren’t meant to have a heartbeat.

Breathe, and take a break.

Go for a drive. Roll the windows down. Play some music. Sing your heart out. Step away from the situation.

That’s what I did today. And I bought some new shoes… but that’s a different story.

Relax. Breathe. There are people out there fighting much worse battles. Don’t get caught up selfishly in your own tangle of messes like I did today. Get your head out of your undies and look at those around you. Don’t become fixated on yourself.

Step away. Take a break. Breathe.

Have faith.

Everything will work out.

Whether or not it’s within your timing, whatever problem you have will eventually be solved. Whatever task you must accomplish will eventually get done.

When you try to carry the weight of the world on yourself, you’re basically telling God that you don’t trust Him. Don’t lean on yourself - lean on Him!!

Let go a little, and let life happen. Have faith.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

Pray about those undies.

Pray. Simple as that. Thank God for the good. Ask him to help you let go of what you think is the bad. Praise Him. Appreciate all the wonderful things.

Go from undies in a bunch to thanking the Lord very much.

Enjoy today - your life is not in disarray.