Do you sweat the small stuff in life? Ok, before you get defensive and tell me the things you worry about are things of utmost importance, ask yourself what the big stuff you worry about is, really.
I used to be someone who worried about so many things- real and imagined.
My mind would play out situations of what could go wrong with something and I would start thinking of how to resolve it.
I would be far gone into anticipating what could happen and what would be done if it did happen that I would lose sight of what the reality was.
I'm no longer plagued by worry like I used to be and I have to tell you, it's a great way to live.
I have had a number of situations in my life that was the perfect circumstance for worry and stress but non of them stands out in my mind as much as my wedding- from the planning to the event itself.
Brides are traditionally known to become stressed out and plagued by worry as the big day draws near.
The subject of worry could range from the details of the ceremony - food, drinks, interior decoration, entertainment- to the bridal train, outfits, and of course the 'almighty' wedding dress.
Most couples set their wedding date several months or a year ahead of time.
This wasn't the case with my husband and I.
We had not been planning a wedding at the time a date was set but we had been living apart for 2years and had only phone calls and emails between that time.
I was planning my first trip back home to Nigeria after living in the US for two years and my husband, then fiance, called me one day and said, "Let's get married when you come home!".
Okay.
At the time, that was just four months away.
I was working full time, attending school on nights and weekends and I'm supposed to plan a wedding in four months?! Oh, did I mention that I was in nursing school and we had tests on a weekly basis, meaning I had to be studying too.
Exams were approaching too.
Well, I made a decision I wasn't going to take on any stress.
I believed it was possible to be a bride-to-be without being a bridezilla.
I was fortunate to have a very supportive family back home and I decided I would let them do the bulk if not all of the planning.
Don't get me wrong.
I had been looking forward to my wedding day since I was a teenager.
I had dreams of getting wedded at the ocean front, with the gentle breeze blowing against my beautiful dress.
Yes, like most young girls, I had such dreams.
It was just that, as the day approached, I knew I was either going to choose stress or calming peace, I chose the latter.
I remember my aunt asking me what kind of cake I wanted and what the colors should be.
I must have shocked her when I said, "Just make the cake edible, that's all that matters".
I had waited for this day for so long that I just wanted to spend the days leading to it, reflecting on my relationship with my fiance and how we were going to have the most amazing marriage.
When you've been engaged for 2years and didn't even set eyes on your fiance all through that time, getting married and getting to see him is all that matters.
Years before, I told myself I wasn't going to get married in our family church but at this point, I really didn't care where the wedding was going to take place.
Yes, call it an extreme case of not sweating the small stuff.
I may not have had the wedding scenery that I fantasized about for years, but I did have an unforgettable one.
I enjoyed every minute of the day without having to worry if all was going well.
The things we worry about in life sometimes look very important and vital.
When we look at the broader picture and what is really important, we are able to brush aside worries that do nothing but populate our minds and steal the joy of today from us.