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

In Sickness and In Health

READY… “Love is a medicine for the sickness of the world; a prescription often given, too rarely taken.” ~ Anonymous

AIM… When you got married and were taking your vows at the altar, most people repeated and agreed to watch over their betrothed “in sickness and in health.” However, I seriously doubt any of us ever considered that we might actually be wiping vomit from the mouths of our soul mates. True? Those moments of true love come when you really aren’t planning for them. So often we are blessed with good health that we take our health for granted; not only do we need to consider our physical health, but also the health of our relationships. However, when sickness strikes, in whatever its form, we are catapulted to a new level of love. It’s in those critical hours of waiting for a fever to break, or for those lab results to return, or for the doctor to walk out of the operating room when you truly realize how deeply you care for your loved one. It’s a moment when we freely sacrifice our priorities and make our spouses the center of our attention because they need us and can’t do everything for themselves. Sometimes it’s temporary, or sadly, sometimes it’s permanent. These moments remind us that marriage is a partnership.

I encourage you to evaluate your physical health and the health of your relationship. Are you in a state of sickness that needs some attention or healing advice? Perhaps a simple appointment with your loved one will allow you to address any potential issues you may be dealing with, physical or emotional, and allow each of you the opportunity to take care of each other whether you are “in sickness, or in health.”

FIRE! Make a decision to do something nice for your spouse or a loved one, just because you care about him or her. Your kindness investment will be worth every penny of effort, guaranteed!

Be Excellent!
Lori