I have always been a bit of a Type A personality. I'm very organized and detailed and I hate being late or missing a deadline. This in itself isn't a bad thing and has served me well in many ways. Especially when it comes to ensuring that we are on time for things, building a successful career, and keeping up with school activities and forms and paperwork. But sometimes, I can let this need to be organized and on top of everything take the fun and meaning out of life.

I have spent a lot of time "sweating the small stuff", as the cliche goes.

When people would tell me not to sweat the small stuff, I used to get very defensive. Who were they to tell me how to live my life? Wasn't it good to be on top of things ALL the time?

Then I finally came to a point just a few years ago, where I realized that stressing about all of the little things that "have" to get done actually makes me miss some of the important moments in my life.

I started thinking about how I could relax more and better prioritize my life so I was focusing on the "big" stuff. I bought the book and the workbook in an effort to try to figure out exactly how to not sweat the small stuff. Turns out that I had to change myself to be able to live this one out; no book or workbook could do it for me.

I began to look at life more objectively. I needed to flip my perspective and realize that the things that stress me out, the plans and logistics, the lists and deadlines and signup geniuses for food preparation, are ALL small stuff.

The important things, the really BIG things, are these:

• The people you are with and the very short amount of time you have with them

• The conversations you have that help you learn about each other

• The laughter that makes your cheeks and your stomach hurt

• The stories you carry with you and share over and over again

• The smiles of pure joy on the children's faces as they play

• The peace in your heart when you look around at your family and friends and you are actually "present" with them

It's extremely hard to get to this point. I am still not fully there, and will probably never be able to not sweat any of the small stuff. But, I have more moments than ever before where I am finally fully present and seeing my life in a much more meaningful way.

I still stay on top of the important things at work, try to send in all of the school paperwork on time, and be prepared for family get togethers. But if I miss something because it got lost in my email box or I don't have time during the week to shop for what I need, I don't get so worked up about it. I take a deep breath and remind myself that in the grand scheme of things, none of these little things matter. I call the school and apologize and get them the information they need, I adjust my food plan or improvise on what I promised to bring to the party or event.

This new perspective has been life-changing for me and I would encourage all of you to try it. The next time you are feeling stressed about all of the little things you have to keep track of, try to stop and take a deep breath. What's the worst thing that would happen if you didn't get them all done?

If the end result is anything less than serious emotional trauma or physical injury, I am confident that you'll survive it.

You might even laugh about it at the end of the day, and end up with a new story to tell.