The Mess Of Stress

READY… “Stressed spelled backwards is desserts.  Coincidence??  I think not!” ~ Author Unknown

AIM… Stress comes in many forms.  While you may feel stressed about a situation in your life, the person standing beside you may feel stressed for another reason.  There’s job stress, family stress, financial stress, relationship stress, health and wellness stress, educational stress and those are just the big categories.  Stress is wrecking havoc on our bodies, physically and emotionally.  Overall, the expectations we put on ourselves and that we allow others to lay upon us are often unrealistic and because of this, the only outcome is anxiety and stress.  We can do ourselves a favor and put our stresses in proper perspective.  Each one of us needs to re-evaluate our expectations and commitments so we can better manage our lives and the outside influences that add to our stress levels.  While our family was on vacation this summer, one of the restaurants we ate in had a list of 35 Sure Fire Stress Reducers posted in their establishment.  What great advice it shares for all of us to follow.  Here are a few of my favorites:

“Simplify and unclutter your life.”

“Say ‘no’ to projects that won’t fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.”

“Separate worries from concerns.  If a situation is a concern, do what you can do and let go of the anxiety.  If you can’t do anything about a situation, forget it.”

“K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut.)  This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.”

“Everyday find time to be alone.”

“Make friends with happy, non-stressed people.”

“Laugh.”

“Laugh some more!”

“You no longer have to keep up with the Joneses…They’ve died of exhaustion.”

“Talk less and listen more.”

FIRE!   Instead of grabbing a high fat, late night snack or piece of chocolate to deal with your stress, try going to bed a little earlier.  Remember, the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good night’s sleep. 

Be Excellent!
Lori