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Happy Life Tip of the Week, Issue #113-Too Blessed May 18, 2011 |
When you are too stressed to be blessed, clear your mind and take care of your own needs first.When I saw this bumper sticker on the way home from work on Friday the 13th, I was mad. Whoever wrote that couldn't have had a day like the one I just had and how dare they think that blessed overcame stress, I shouted in my head. And then I caught myself and realized that of course blessed overcame stress. The research showing gratitude and optimism do overcome stress, both physically and mentally, is overwhelming. I know this. So why did the bumper sticker make me mad? Eckhart Tolle, in The Power of Now, describes pain as an entity with a life of its own. It will fight to keep the status quo-- to keep itself alive. The same could be said for stress. Stress creates certain chemicals in the body that prepare us for fight or flight. These chemicals narrow our thinking process to the immediate situation, or problem we are trying to solve. At the same time, these chemicals help us block out pain so we can work through it to survive. Yet, when the solutions to our problems do not include physical exertion, these chemicals stick around, influencing our thinking long past the time we have solved the problem. Pain is how our body and mind communicate the need for action. If our stress hormones block the pain, we fail to meet our own needs, thus perpetuating the pain and stress. As a final blow, the stress chemicals in our bodies also make it harder for us to take a wider view. If we are narrowly focused on a problem, chances are our blessings are outside that focus. To be honest, none of this went through my mind when I first saw the bumper sticker. My body was too stressed at the time to even see my blessings. My immediate reaction was to start to cry. Then I had a good meal with a glass of wine, watched TV, and went to bed early. In the morning, I forced myself to exercise, and then I started to think about the problem. When I did, I realized that I was in a situation where my own needs were not met and where my relationship boundaries had been crossed. I had to de-stress to see this, and I had to know I could fix the underlying situation before I could appreciate my current blessings. When you are too stressed to be blessed, your first priority is to clear your mind, take care of your own physical and emotional needs, then reconnect with the good in your life. For many women, a good cry does clear their minds and emotions. We all have our own clues that we need to take care of ourselves. The key is to recognize the signs and take healthy action. Meditation, prayer, exercise, distraction, or a hug from a friend or pet are all great ways to turn the tide of stress chemicals in your body and let you see the wonder and beauty and abundant blessings all around you. When you are too stressed to be blessed, clear your mind and take care of your own needs first.Affirmation When I am too stressed to count my blessings, I take a step back and clear my mind. I make sure I am meeting my own needs first, and then I look for all the extra good around me. Journal or Meditation Question How do I know when I am stressed? What do I catch myself doing. When the thought of counting my blessings seems impossible or makes me mad, what do I do? Do I believe that focusing on what is good and right overcomes stress? To Subscribe
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