Week 65 - To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering - Friedrich Nietzsche

With only five days left in the semester, it feels like all my stress and problems are accumulating simultaneously. And while it seems that the end of the school year might resolve many of these issues, I know all of those will quickly be replaced by new ones. 

But it feels like I’ve always been like this. I can’t recall the last time I was completely free of stress or worry in all forms. Even after finishing past semesters, thoughts of the future and the daily problems that come with life seem to always be in my head. 

Although much of that comes down to my personality, I do think there’s some sentiment in permanent stress that everyone can relate to. There’s always going to be something to be worried about, no matter how successful you become.  

I’m still working on finding a way to get better at dealing with it, but a recent shift in my perspective has significantly improved how I handle my constant supply of issues.

Instead of seeing the issues I have as problems that are interrupting my life,  I've started to view them as inherent features of living. This way, I’ve been able to reframe my struggles as natural and expected, rather than disruptions.

I’ve found that by embracing this perspective, I’m much better at dealing with each issue calmly and with a sense of preparedness, rather than being overwhelmed.

Additionally, I’ve realized that a lot of the things I consider "problems" are actually pretty trivial in comparison to what really matters. Everything in your life is a problem of some sort, so it’s important to realize that not all issues carry the same weight.

It’s been hard, but as I continue to deal with life's inevitable ups and downs, I’ve begun to learn that the key isn’t to eliminate stress entirely, but to adapt to it. Stress and problems are a feature of life, not a bug. Understanding that is vital to a more present life. 

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