Playing with Stress

Stress can show up in many ways. The following acronym may help to give you some practical suggestions for dealing with it.

Plan less. Plan to have less busyness, less people telling you what to do, less time in places you don’t want to be, less comparing yourself to others. Let the word ‘no’ come to mind. Don’t buy the cow to get a glass of milk. Simplify life. More enjoyment means less stuff.

Leave. Go to the North Pole. Be alone with yourself a few minutes each day. Be alone to meditate. Take mental breaks. In the midst of stresses allow yourself time to focus on things and activities that bring peace and serenity. Take a walk during break to just get away for a few minutes.
Plan getaways to places that relax you on your free time. Hiking trails, water gardens, or recreation events for a few hours or an exotic vacation plan to be far removed are reprieves that you deserve. Remind yourself that it takes hard work and planning to have times of rest and then you won’t feel guilty about taking the time off.

Attack. There are some times you can use the things that are associated with stress to combat stress. Use the phone to make a telephone call to people who really cheer you up, use your computer to check out weekend travel escapes and possible vacation places, use tools that you work with to bring you times of relaxation and enjoyment.
Develop the ability to interpret a stressful event as a new challenge. Assess the worst possible scenario and then run to the challenge.
Work on expressing suppressed and repressed feelings in a healthy way. Expressing clearly and directly can be a great relief of tension.

Yield to what your body and close relationships are telling you. Treat your body as well as you treat your car. Fill it up with what it needs to keep running. Don’t wait for another clinical study to tell you that physical exercise reduces stress. Do your own research.
Take time to enjoy, really enjoy, the close relationships that you have been given. Most people when asked why they do what they do will respond, “It’s because of the people in my life.” You’re not alone! Develop and use your support group.

Increase your negligence. Some stresses keep coming back often so pick a time to start worrying about it and don’t think about it until that time. Even mark on your calendar when you can officially start and end being stressed about that event.

Notice what is good. Refocus on what is true, what is noble, what is right, what is pure, what is lovely, what is admirable, what is excellent and what is praiseworthy. Don’t take life too serious and become your own stand up comedian. Laugh at yourself. Take time to notice the roses when you are weeding the flower garden.

Greet change. Follow the meditation of the serenity prayer which states, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Look at continued stress as an indicator for necessary change.

Brian Frizzell (MA, MS, LPC) is the owner of Christian Counseling Services in Springfield MO. (417) 881-9800) He is the author of Marriages By Design (www.marriagesbydesign.com.) He is a licensed professional counselor and has 20 years of counseling experience in a number of venues. He was the Director Counseling in a church in SW Missouri of over 5,000. He, his wife and three sons live in Nixa, MO.