WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015
Have you ever felt like life was crashing down on you from every angle? Every time you turned around it was something? When it rained it poured? With the hustle and bustle of daily life, trying to balance work, family, to-do lists and so on it's easy to get tangled in a web of stress and frantic frustration.
Here's what I found to be true: on my worst days-in those situations where I just want to lay on the floor and flounder around like a two year old throwing a tantrum-it's not the external circumstances causing these rage of emotions, but rather myself. I am the source of my stress. Life happens and it happens fast. Circumstances can be frustrating, crazy, demanding, just down right stressful! It's what we do with our circumstances that matters and sets the pace in our lives. It's not what happens to you, but what happens in you. It's what happens in me when the stress comes barreling my direction that counts. It's how I handle the pressure that allows me to take the next step.
So, what should you do when the storms of to-do lists and all-to-soon deadlines are coming at you from every angle?
1-Work Hard, Play Hard.
Give your all to your work, school and home projects. Then have fun!
2-When You're Off, Be Off.
When you leave work, leave work at work. Go home and have fun! Utilize your time off as a true Sabbath so you're ready to give your best when Monday rolls around.
3-Say Your Best Yes.
Say no to people that drain your from being the best version of yourself so that you have room to say "yes" to the projects and people that bring out your best. Say no so that you can say yes.
4-Health Matters.
We were made as a connected unit - body, mind and spirit. When one is off, we're off entirely. Exercise, eat healthy, sleep well and spend time with Jesus. When we keep every aspect of ourselves in check, it's harder for stress to take root in our hearts and minds.
5-Know Your Limits.
Pay attention to your body - what drains you and makes you feel anxious or unprepared? What makes you feel exhausted? Find out what those trigger points are and listen when your body and mind start giving you warning signals. And when those signals come, adjust your schedule, add some white space for rest, and remove the barriers of a stressful mindset so that you can give your best.
6-Practice Makes Perfect.
We won't beat stress every time. And that's okay. It's the steps we take with each new opportunity that help shape us into who we're becoming. So, if we don't want to be a people marked by stress, it's vital that we enforce our boundaries and practice healthy living.
Stress is a part of life, but it doesn't have to define who we are. We don't have to let it control our lives. We have the choice and ability to control how we handle life in the midst of our circumstances...let's punch stress in the face!
Posted 10:25 AM