Stop drama from dragging you down (and get your energy back)

Cara Bradley is the queen of stress-free living. She claims that one of the main reasons we suffer from fatigue is because we get caught up in things that really don’t matter. Here’s how she says we can let go and get back our zest for life

Drama happens when you experience life through the distorted lens of your busy mind. Being sucked into “he said, she said” can leave you feeling annoyed and drained. A small irritation or outburst can quickly sap your strength and make you feel less than bright. In short, drama drains.

I use the word “drama” to describe the destructive emotional traps you get caught in when you live from your stressed-out head. See my shortlist of drama-producing habits – do you recognise any of them as your emotional default?

• Self-importance

• Needing to be right

• Gossip

• Judgment

• Jealousy

• Resentment

• Comparing

• Whining

• Regret

• Anger

• Expectation

• Worry

• Self-degradation

• Belittling

• Ignoring

• Controlling

• Forcing

Here are some drama-reducing hacks that can help you tap into your personal power and thrive:

1 Leave it be

Sticky is how drama feels. Have you ever noticed that situations get sticky when you try to make life work out in your favour? Or when you try to fix people or avoid uncomfortable conversations? It happens when you try to force the world to move – for what you want. When you act out of self-interest, more often than not you’ll get on someone’s nerves, leaving you and the other person feeling depleted.

Drama is created not because of what is happening, but how you relate to what is happening. If you remain clear and steady in the midst of life, drama will just slide right off you.

2 Notice what you notice

If you get to know your busy mind, you can shift your perspective beyond it. You need to become aware of the environments in which you are most susceptible to getting caught in or creating uneccessary stress.

List three people or situations that create drama and leave you feeling drained (for example, listening to your coworker whine or sitting in traffic). Try not to judge them as good or bad. Simply become aware of them. Keeping a list can help you to recognise patterns so that you know your triggers.

3 Stop and drop the drama

You can interrupt a potentially destructive moment by pausing to sit still or to take a few breaths, this also works with unhealthy patterns or habits. Your power is in your ability to pause. One simple moment of stillness can go a long way in shifting you beyond your busy mind.

When you feel drama brewing, pause and think of a place that charges you with energy – what do you smell, see, hear or taste? Resting in the quiet space of this particular view, allow your body and mind to absorb the moment. How do you feel right here and now? Take note of any shift in perspective you feel.

If you don’t like what you’re experiencing in any given moment, if feeling sticky or busy or anything else keeps you from feeling awake and alive, then know you have a choice – shift beyond your busy mind, beyond expectation, judgment and the need to control, and you’ll open the floodgate for high-voltage energy to surge through your life.

About the author

Cara Bradley is the author of On the Verge and a passionate teacher of yoga, meditation and fitness. She has been a “mental strength coach” for over three decades at her Verge Yoga Center, retreats, corporate training sessions, and with teams such as Villanova University football and Penn State men’s basketball. Visit her online at carabradley.net.

Adapted from the book On the Verge: Wake Up, Show Up, and Shine. Copyright © 2016 by Cara Bradley. Printed with permission from New World Library. newworldlibrary.com