How many of you have all your Christmas shopping done? Presents wrapped? Anyone’s decorations still in a box, like me? Extra pressures pile as holidays crawl closer. Christmas parties, church pageants, school programs, gift buying, googling best buys, baking and candy-making crowd calendars. Don’t forget doctor visits since your deductible is already paid. It’s also possible you might lose a loved one in the midst of wrapping or writing Christmas cards.
Exhausted, behind, and somewhat distraught from losing a church member in November, along with four others we knew in one week, preparing and feeding 753 meals for Thanksgiving in your ministry, and the fight for life with our pregnant daughter when we usually rest, gave me opportunity to be stressed. If it wasn’t for these 3 keys I’ve learned over the years, I wouldn’t have survived, let alone face Christmas. Our ministry will be preparing 500 Christmas food baskets for the community, 150 gifts and a special dinner party your our feeding ministry, church gifts for members, teachers, and board members, candy bags to fill, and cards to write. Trust me, I understand stress.
Worry-wart, and my name were synonymous during my college and young adult years followed by many years of fighting winter depression. On this journey, I learned, and adopted these three keys.
Learn what is in your control, and what isn’t.
The serenity prayer’s truths sets you free if you can apply them.
“Help me, Lord, to accept the things I can not change, to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
STOP, EVALUATE, and REFOCUS.
Every time stress is thrown your way, stop. Decide if it is in your control. If it isn’t, learn to accept it. Free will is difficult to cope with as we have a natural tendency to want to control others, or fix it for them…especially if it’s those we love.
Instead, let it go. Or, do what I’ve started doing…empowering them.
For example, if you have a daughter, granddaughter, or good friend going through a rebellious stage not respecting herself, help her with
information or resources. Guide her by asking questions about her future and if these choices and relationships will push her in that
direction. You’ve now changed your focus on the problem you can’t control to what you can control. How about that?
Another thing in your control is prayer, and is usually my first response when noticing things are out of my control.
Take a Break and Relax.
Take a break from the stress by distracting yourself. It might be sitting down and calling a friend, listening to 15 minutes of your favorite music, taking a walk, or taking a bath. How about a cup of coffee while reading a good book or watching a comedy? Many relaxation techniques exist. Find 2-3 that work for you.
Think positive.
Stress mostly comes from things out of our control so the first key is the most important one mentally. The second key immediately helps change us physically and mentally. This third one is more of a lifestyle change and preventive measure. It wards off the stress before the get go.
I enjoy practicing turning negatives into positives. Always look for the good. EVERY situation can teach us something, or provides an opportunity for us to teach someone else.
Memorize Philippians 4:8. It has the BEST things to FOCUS on.
Like me, use these keys to change your focus from stress to relaxation…and, trust in the Lord. It’s like taming a lion and making it a nice pet. It works.
Share a way you can apply one of these keys with all the rest of us in the comments below. Thanks!
© 2015, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.
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