New Beginnings, New Stress
New beginnings and new routines can be exciting, but also stressful. Maybe it would be less stressful if we, as people, learned how to relax. I’m probably the worst when it comes to taking care of self, but also know that it’s important. Recently, I had a conversation with a woman who had recently retired from a very stressful job. Within several months, she reported she felt better and has been able to get off some of her medications. Not only that, she has lost weight. Many of us carry around too much stress causing health risks. We say yes without letting go of something else. Technology is supposed to make things easier, convenient and efficient. Is this efficiency allowing us to take on more? We have our calendars at our fingertips, and social media to let everyone know our latest status. Are we so busy recording our life we forget to live it? Side note: I wonder if the next generation will be able to stand up straight, since nowadays people are bent over looking at their cellular devices.
Granted, there are segments in life when raising a family creates a lot of hustle and bustle. In my generation the “woman” of the house bore the main responsibility of child rearing and caring for the home, even if she held down a full-time job. Today’s generation has a more team approach. This is good on all fronts with both parents working together. I’m on the other end of child rearing as my daughters are now in their 20s. Still, stress creeps in with family, job, finances, illness, and thoughts of the future. A certain amount of stress, I think, gets us up and going; somewhere to be or something to do. We just have to be careful not to spend too much time thinking about certain situations.
If your family is suffering because of stress, then it’s time to make a change. Stress, from even one person, rubs off and affects everyone in the family. It’s time to deal with it before too much damage is done.
Here are some tips for handling stress:
- Get plenty of sleep
- Eat a healthy diet—not fast or processed food
- Pray—carve out some quiet time each day
- Say NO to added responsibilities
- Make a to do list and check it off—and it’s okay if everything didn’t get done
Health-bite: stress is a part of life; it’s how you deal with it that matters
