Rise early; rush to get ready for the day; maybe’ just maybe grab a piece of toast on the way out the door; battle the traffic of morning rush hour or the ciaos and crowds of public transportation; spend the next eight to ten hours meeting the demands of supervisors or the system you work in; repeat the clogged transition home - sometimes wondering how you managed to miss lunch again; prepare a healthy as possible for yourself and a hungry family; give the children as much attention as possible; and somewhere in the evening hours collapse back in to your bed: Repeat. Yikes! No wonder we are stress society!
The above scenario doesn’t even touch on the in-between worries: financial stress, bills, the children, behavior issues with the kids, school concerns, meal planning, health issues for the entire family - oh and you. AH… OH and YOU! There we have it. Perhaps the real issue that stress has taken over our lives.
We spend, 99.9% of our daily lives doing things for others. It is not that we should ignore the needs of those around us. Certainly our family is dependent on us, especially children who look to us to meet their daily needs and give us attention and above all our love. But somewhere in the midst of all of it, our own needs take second place, and sometimes are forgotten all together. Eventually this sacrificial martyrdom takes it’s toll. The stress of the day meshes with resentment and regrets. We become bitter and sometimes depressed. Still even if our stress level has entered the red zone, it is not to late to take back control.
If you are among the many who have no idea where self-care will fit into your busy schedule, take out the daily planner now and schedule it! Taking time for yourself, and making certain you get it, is the first step in reducing the stress of daily living. There are several things that can be done, many of which do not require making a financial commitment.
1. Make time for morning meditation. Meditation does not have take a large chunk of your day. Five extra minutes in the morning before you begin your day can stay with you throughout your waking hours. Meditation does not have to be spiritual either. It is simply a time of sitting quietly, uninterrupted for a few minutes, focusing on your breathing and relaxing the muscles of your body. During your quite moment, should you chose to include prayer and affirmation, that is perfectly acceptable. Affirming a day filled with blessings and ease in time will draw those experiences to you.
2. Be in gratitude. Taking time to make a short list everyday of five things you are grateful for in you life, will shift you consciousness to a more positive place. When we begin to focus our attention on the good things we experience the worries begin to drift to a place where we can have more control and can even begin to be seen as potential blessings in our lives.
3. Take time to get a little exercise. Whether it is a short walk around the block or a work out your local gym, exercise is a stress reducer. We get all the wonderful benefits of exercise and have taken time to do something good for ourselves.
4. At least once a week do something special for yourself. This is above and beyond the daily practice of meditation and exercise. Whether it is getting a message or having your nails done, the practice of taking that time to do something wonderful for ourselves, gives a new perspective and energy to face the life tasks of daily living. If cost and money are issues, put a little aside to experience one of these self care ideas or perhaps just light some scented candles and take a relaxing bubble bath!
Stress is a bit like rising waters, it gets higher and higher until it over flows the banks of our lives. While we may not always be able to control the circumstances of our lives, we can control our response to them, and the amount of time they consume in our world.
