I am so stressed this morning my stomach feels like it is being tied in knots and cramps. Between work and school assignments, family responsibilities and a desire to grow closer to the Lord, I feel pulled in a lot of different directions.
So this morning I searched Stress on my church website, and found a section in their emotional resilience class called, Managing Stress and Anxiety. I am grateful for modern-day revelation that provides tools for me to learn to cope with the pressures of life by relying on the Lord.
The first tool was this managing time wisely checklist:
So I started out my scripture study, prioritizing my day.
Ways to manage stress:
1. Talk to God, He is rooting me on and wants to be present in my life, talk to Him when I'm feeling stressed and talk about the stress I'm feeling, how I'm handling it etc. I really like the recommendation to imagine God sitting close to me when I talk to Him.
2. Ponder, reflect on things I'm grateful for and on times when God has helped me through stressful times in the past. Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God.
3. Look at your expectations. Sometimes life doesn't turn out according to plan. Remember Doc & Cov 122:7, 9, "All these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good...Therefore, hold on thy way."
4. Take a short break to meditate, stretch, and relax physically. When mind and body are calm, I think clearer.
5. Be aware of when you're stressed. Check in with yourself.
6. Focus on Gratitude. Keep a gratitude journal. Take time when stressed to appreciate what is good in life right now!
7. Be active. I know this is so important for me! I am happier and less stressed when I am physically active and able to use a workout to work through my stress response.
8. Limit technology use. I am grateful for my social media fast- imagine how much harder this week would be without it. I want to take this a step forward and limit my consumption of opinion and advice articles as well.
9. Be kind to yourself. I love the idea of using the same kind, comforting words you would use with a loved one!
10. Help someone else. It sounds so counterintuitive that this would help stress- since it feels like adding another item to my list, but I am going to start out small and give this a try today.
11. Try a relaxing activity. I want to make time for things that bring me joy!
12. Stay connected to friends and family. Our bodies need connection to let go of stress.
13. Take it one step at a time.
14. Practice mindfulness.
In the end, I loved this quote by President Hinkley, mostly because I remember as a stressed high school and college student turning to this amazing prophets words for the help I needed in stressful times.
“It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Excerpts from Addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley,” Ensign, Oct. 2000, 73).
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