OVERLOAD!!!

No matter how stressed we think that we might have been in times past, I do believe that we are more stressed now. As a child, I remember the Cuban Missile Crisis. That was stressful. Although the events that led up to one eventful day when even the children were aware that the world might come to sudden end, this time of plague, pestilence and discontent is worse. It just won’t stop. Add the duration of this nightmare to the every day stress of simply living and it can overload every nerve. We teach to create your life. In times like these, regardless of the world that you have created for yourself, you can still be affected by the events in the world. Events in our personal lives that can overload us in every way from emotional to financial add to the burden of the pandemic and it’s just too much for some people to handle. Depression, anxiety and even suicide rates are increasing and we all know someone who has crashed or even died. Self-care is more important than ever. Stress management is critical to our survival.

Fight or Flight

Both sudden, unexpected stress and ongoing stress activate the fight or flight response. We are flooded with adrenaline and cortisol that spike our blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar. When this becomes our normal, we are in trouble. The effects of constant bombardment of these intense hormones is destructive to every system of our bodies. If we have a stress reaction and we are able to dissipate the hormones and move on, we’re usually unharmed but in recent days, this is not the case. Every day, the news sounds worse. Notice that I said “sounds”. That is key. Perception is everything. Our perception is key to our response to stress.

Wisdom of the Ages

You have all heard the old adage, “Is the glass half empty or half full?” This is a good description of your perception of stress. I love David’s perception of the glass. He says , “Some people forget that they can always refill the damn glass.” That is being proactive. Regardless of your perception of the glass, if you realize that you are in control, and take action to create the reality that you need, then the original state of the glass is irrelevant. While we cannot change the events of the World, we can control our world. There are tragic events in all of our lives that make us feel like we have no control, but even in the worst situations, we do. The key is to do all that you can to navigate those times. Knowing you have done everything that you can do to change a tragic event gives you some peace in the midst of the storm. It removes the feeling of helplessness. You are not a victim of circumstances riding the waves of the storm with tattered sails. You are the Captain of your destiny. You have chosen your path to the destination. It will be the best path, dictated by you and not the damn storm. Eat well, work out, wash your hands and be brave. Never cower. You’re stronger than that. There are over 20 different chemical reactions that occur every time you breath. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. We don’t die easily. Take control of your life.

By the Grace of God, these majestic buildings survived direct hits from three F4 tornadoes with minimal damage. They were built by man. How much more are you, being built by God, able to withstand the storms of life? You can make it. Be as strong and healthy as possible.

1-Take control of your nutrition. Cut out added sugars and excess refined carbohydrates. We do not advocate the keto diet. We do advocate eating moderate amounts of complex carbs from whole foods. Beans, apples, potatoes (both white and sweet) and oats are a few of the foods that are staples in our personal nutrition plans.

2-Stay well hydrated. Thirst is incredibly stressful. Water is our first essential element for life. Read David’s article, How Much Water Do I Need for some good information concerning hydration.

3-Make sure to get adequate amounts of protein. Read Davids article, Protein Supplements for guidelines concerning protein.

4-Exercise with your doctor’s permission. Seriously, see your doctor and ask about exercise. Do whatever he suggests. Just do something. Exercise reduces stress exponentially.

5-Sleep

6-“Make Your World Small.” (David Yochim) Get rid of the clutter of people and stuff that drags you down. Throw out all negativity. If some of that negative input comes from people that you must interact with, set the rules. Do not allow yourself to be manipulated by negativism.

7-Interact with your pet. That’s just a no-brainer. Nothing except exercise will destress you any more than this.

8-Handle your finances. Even if you are financially stressed, take control. Work your job well. Cut out superfluous expenses that do not improve your life. Why would you spend money that you don’t have on products that are going shorten your life and make you feel bad until you die? Use some common sense. See a banker for counseling. They are happy to assist you and may offer ingenious solutions to assist you through a rough patch. You don’t have to be wealthy to get their help. Just ask. They will treat your money like theirs and help you manage it to your best advantage.

9-Stand up for yourself! Regardless of your lifestyle, as long as you are not hurting anyone, defend yourself! Always be ready to give an answer but unless it affects your livelihood, don’t feel like you have to answer to anyone. Again, be the Captain of your ship and take control. Never apologize for who you are.

10-Get help if you need it. There is no shame in psychiatric counseling.

11-All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy… Have some fun. Life’s short.

12-Think highly of yourself. Frequently stress comes from low self-esteem. Low self-esteem will make us do stupid things that can take over our lives. The opinions of strangers and dysfunctional acquaintances do not matter. You alone know your true worth. Work hard at being the best that you can be and yo won’t need the praise of the World. The freedom of the confidence that is not dependent on the number of likes you get on social media is powerful. Always remember, most of those people tapping those buttons spend most of their lives sitting, staring at their phones.

13-Laugh, it does a body good.