Is Stress Dominating Your Life?

Whoever said, “Life Is But A Dream” must have lived on Mars.  Here on Earth, things can get pretty rough sometimes.  Understanding how we allow those experiences to affect us is the secret to overcoming them. At 43 years old, I am ashamed to say that I still struggle with how to balance my workload, professionally and personally.  Truth is, working hard for me is as natural as blinking.  Nonetheless, in today’s world, it’s neither necessary nor practical.   Sadly, I confess that for the past month or so, I have allowed stress to dominate my life.  Thankfully, I finally decided enough is enough!  As a result, I aim to invest my time in learning how to work smarter versus harder.  Maybe you, too, have been wrestling with finding a proper balance in life.  If that’s the case, then maybe today’s posting will help you as well.

For many of us, it’s hard to carve out the time to get proper rest and relaxation.  Why is that, you might ask?  Reality is, there is always going to be work-at-work, loved ones to care for, homes to clean, meals to plan, bills to pay, etc.   

Isn’t it wonderful to know, dearest, that there are resources today to help us.  As an avid reader, books are one of my favorite tools.  I recently began one that explains how to become more effective at work.  It  refers to the importance of taking “responsibility for our own emotional well-being.” It offers the following suggestions:

Monitor what you say:

Proverbs 13:3 NIV– “He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”

Feed your mind positive self-talk:           

Proverbs 16:24 NIV– “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”   

Read motivational and inspirational books:

John 15:7 NIV– “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

Meditate:

Psalm 104:34 NIV– “May my meditation be pleasing to Him, as I rejoice in the Lord.”

Visualize your success:

Psalm 37:4 NIV– “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of 

your heart.”

Be Grateful:

Psalms 9:1 NIV- “I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds.”

Banish senseless worry and fear:

Psalm 55:22 NIV– “Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.”

Build time in your day for simple pleasures (i.e. reading, taking walks, etc.):

Proverbs 17:22 NIV – “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” 

Although not mentioned in the book, always remember to pray.  It is as essential to believers as air is to the lungs. I don’t care how busy we are, there is always time to pray!  For instance, I endure a slew of traffic lights during my morning commute.  Instead of listening to music the entire ride, I read affirmations and daily prayers out loud while sitting at red lights. Guess what? I don’t care if I look crazy either!  I have no problem opening my mouth when I am in need of the Holy Creator’s favor, protection and blessings.  We must make time to draw Him into my atmosphere.  In this way, He can protect us on our jobs, help to meet important deadlines, manage our home and children, etc.   

All in all, Beloved, we can no longer allow stress to dominate our lives.  For stress is the mental or emotional strain caused by anxiety due to a lapse of time.  Who better then to teach us how to manage our time than the Eternal Ruler who created it?