| Combating Stress In Your Life - 8 More Secrets, Part | | | | stress. |
| 2By Danny Presswood Your air conditioner quits; you | | | | NURTURING YOUR SOUL. |
| get fired; you fail a test; your 13 year old son is | | | | 7. PRAY. |
| arrested for shoplifting; or you find out you have | | | | Nurturing your soul includes prayer. Research has |
| cancer. These are just a few of life's events that | | | | shown that people who believe in God and regularly |
| trigger stress, frustration, anxiety, or depression. | | | | pray feel a greater sense of purpose in life. They also |
| Medical experts estimate that stress which is | | | | tend to live longer and have fewer health problems. So |
| unresolved or becomes chronic accounts for more | | | | whatever you may think about prayer - it certainly |
| than 90 percent of all illnesses and trips to the doctor. | | | | can't hurt! So give it a try. In her book Heart Whispers: |
| This article reveals 8 more secrets for combating | | | | Benedictine Wisdom for Today, Dr. Elizabeth Canham |
| stress in your life. In "7 Secrets For combating Stress | | | | outlines the five-step prayer exercise with which she |
| In Your Life, Part 1" we covered Nurturing Personal | | | | routinely ends her day. |
| Relationships, and the first point of Nurturing Your Mind | | | | A. Give Thanks. |
| which was to "Quiet your mind at least once per day." | | | | Reflect back on the day, looking for all the gifts God |
| Now let's discover 8 more secrets for combating | | | | has given you, and also for the moments in which your |
| stress! | | | | needs might have been revealed. Express your |
| NURTURING YOUR MIND. (Con't.) | | | | gratitude to God for gifts received and allow that |
| 1. FULLY EXPLORE AND EXPERIENCE YOUR | | | | gratitude to sink into your heart. |
| FEELINGS. Nurturing your mind includes exploring and | | | | B. Ask for Insights and Intercede. |
| experiencing your feelings. For example, when you feel | | | | Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal to you insights |
| sad allow yourself to be sad for a time, rather than | | | | about the day's events that you might not have seen |
| trying to pick yourself up and pretend it doesn't | | | | by yourself. Intercede on behalf of someone else who |
| manner. God gave us all out emotions. It's okay to feel | | | | needs a touch from God in their life. |
| sad, happy, angry, joyful, frustrated, elated...accepting | | | | C. Look for God. |
| your feelings rather than fighting them will help you | | | | Go over the day's events again, this time focusing on |
| know where to make changes in your life and reduce | | | | the various moods and emotions you experienced. |
| stress. 2. JOURNAL EVERY DAY. | | | | What might those emotions have been telling you |
| Journaling is an excellent source for nurturing your | | | | about the will of God? Was God pulling you in a |
| mind. Find a time that works best for you, maybe first | | | | particular direction? Were you especially aware of |
| thing in the morning or last thing at night and write | | | | God's presence in another person during the day? |
| down your thoughts, feelings, ideas, relationship issues, | | | | How did you respond to these experiences or |
| and stressful situations. Your journal (or diary, if you | | | | situations? |
| wish) is a safe place for you explore and clarify your | | | | D. Express Repentance and Gratitude |
| life and priorities, enabling you to make choices and to | | | | Ask God to forgive you for your sins, and those |
| take action based on those choices. It will give you a | | | | moments when you were unresponsive to His Divine |
| sense of direction, help you learn from mistakes of the | | | | presence, and pray for the willingness to be more |
| past, and greatly reduce your stress level. | | | | responsive in the future. Give God thanks and praise |
| NURTURING YOUR BODY. | | | | for those moments when you were responsive to His |
| 3. TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF. | | | | Will. |
| Nurturing your body means taking time for yourself. | | | | E. Receive Help and Guidance for Tomorrow. |
| You might enjoy a long bubble bath, reading a good | | | | Ask God to give you whatever you will need to move |
| book, having quiet time alone or whatever works for | | | | faithfully through tomorrow. Pray specifically for the |
| you. Maybe you enjoy walking the dog in the local | | | | strength to deal with your spiritual struggles, such as |
| park, or walking in the woods alone. Maybe you enjoy | | | | fighting anger or finding the ability to forgive. Ask Him |
| motorcycle riding, bicycle riding, flying RC planes, or | | | | to provide your daily needs for food, clothing, shelter, |
| baking. For you it may be "surfing the net," building | | | | work, and love. Follow these steps or develop your |
| model cars, sewing or knitting. I personally enjoy | | | | own. The bottom line is that prayer changes things, |
| woodworking and woodcarving. The point is to do | | | | mainly you! And the more you pray, the more you will |
| something that allows you to feel good about yourself | | | | think of the needs of others; and the more you think of |
| and makes you more relaxed and energized to enjoy | | | | others, the less you think about yourself, thus reducing |
| your life more fully. It will combat stress and relieve | | | | stress in your life. |
| tension. | | | | 8. READ THE BIBLE AND POSITIVE DEVOTIONAL |
| 4. EAT NUTRITIONALLY. | | | | MATERIALS. |
| Good nutrition is a major aspect of nurturing your body. | | | | Nurturing your soul is not that complicated. There are |
| Chronic stress robs your body of nutrients like vitamins | | | | volumes and volumes of books on the market today |
| C and B complex, as well as protein. So, what's a | | | | to encourage, uplift, and inspire you. Just go to any |
| stressed-out body to do? First, make sure you eat at | | | | bookstore or Christian bookstore and ask for |
| least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, and | | | | assistance. You'll be inundated with helpful materials. In |
| eat some protein (fish, poultry, lean meats, legumes, or | | | | my opinion, you still can't beat The Bible (still the best |
| low-fat dairy products) with every meal. Include | | | | selling book of all time!). The Bible is filled with principles |
| several servings of whole grains each day as well. | | | | for living a stress free life! This is not intended to be a |
| You should also take a daily multi- vitamin/mineral | | | | sermon, so I'll just give you two examples. The apostle |
| antioxidant supplement as nutritional insurance. Your | | | | Paul writes, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in |
| stress levels will soon be much lower. | | | | everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, |
| 5. EXERCISE. | | | | present your requests to God. And the peace of God, |
| Nurturing your body includes exercise. Exercise, | | | | which transcends all understanding, will guard your |
| particularly weightlifting (strength training) and aerobics, | | | | hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians |
| are two of the most effective ways to dissipate | | | | 4:6-7). Jesus Himself tells us, "Come unto me, |
| physical and emotional stress. They speed up the | | | | everyone who labors and is heavily burdened, and I will |
| metabolism (assisting with weight loss), enhance the | | | | give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of |
| body's production of endorphins, and relieve muscular | | | | me; for I am meek and humble of heart: and you will |
| tension brought on by stress and anxiety. In fact, | | | | find rest for your tired and weary souls. For my yoke |
| numerous studies have shown that aerobic exercise | | | | is easy, and my burden is light." The bottom line is, He |
| and weight training can be an effective part of the | | | | cares! Jesus is in the business of nurturing your soul. |
| treatment for anxiety and stress reduction. | | | | And the more at peace you are in your soul, the less |
| 6. GET PLENTY OF REST. | | | | stress you will experience in your daily life. None of us |
| Rest (including sleep), allows the body to heal injuries | | | | can ever live a completely stress free life all the time. |
| and infections, eliminate toxins and waste products, | | | | In fact, trying to live completely stress free just causes |
| reduce or even eliminate stress, replenish fuel stores in | | | | more stress! But combating and reducing stress will |
| your muscle fibers and bloodstream, and restore | | | | improve every area of your life. By following the 15 |
| energy. Ideally, adults should get 7-8 hours of sleep per | | | | "secrets" outlined above, thus nurturing personal |
| night. If that isn't possible, try building in a "power nap" | | | | relationships, nurturing your mind, nurturing your body, |
| during the day. Even 20 minutes can reap great | | | | and nurturing your soul, you can make great progress |
| physical benefits and reduce stress. Rest is an | | | | toward combating the stress in your life. |
| essential element in nurturing your body and combating | | | | |