I was reminded today of the “Serenity Prayer”, albeit the secular version. I had just done a quick Google search on how to deal with stress for atheists.
One of the most common techniques is meditation. That is really hard for me, which I attribute to my Aphantasia. But I do try to practice “mindfulness”. Most of the other “therapies” were things I do a lot of already. Like walking, dogs, music, reading, and hobbies. But the “Serenity Prayer” was common too.
May I find the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Its so easy to forget these simple words when you’re in the middle of stress. But it really puts it in perspective and gives me a path forward on the journey.
There are many things I cannot change that I let stress me way too much. There are also maybe some things I can change. And courage is needed as they are hard. Now I just need to be careful to identify which to accept and which to change. And I always prayed for “wisdom” as the Bible said to do when I was young!
The Spiritual Atheist 