Steps you can take to reduce stress

Here are several things we can do to reduce stress:

Stop thinking and talking about your problems so much. The state of upset or arousal sets off an alarm in the body to defend itself from threatening, hostile events. Even thinking of an upsetting event or imagining danger can also trigger the alarm. A chain of responses are set into motion inside us to fight or run from the circumstance.

Don’t be overcommitted. Do you have too much to do? This seems to be the number one complaint I hear today. When I ask people how they are, about 50 percent respond, “I’m busy.” Do you need to say no more often? We should be sure when our heart says no that our mouth isn’t saying yes. Sometimes trying to keep other people happy can make us very unhappy. A person must be really careful in this area, especially if he has a tendency toward being a people pleaser.

Burnout comes from physical and emotional exhaustion, especially as a result of long-term stress. Stress depletes our bodies; our immune systems become weak, and sickness—even depression—can set in. Are you suffering from burnout? Manifestations include extreme fatigue, headaches, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems, tension, nerves tied in knots, inability to relax, and no medical explanation for the symptoms. Other symptoms may be emotional exhaustion (crying easily), anger, negativity, irritability, cynicism, and bitterness about the blessings of others.

Burnout causes you to be “out of control” and no longer producing good fruit. You can’t overwork your mind, emotions or your body and not eventually pay the price for excess. Whose pace are you moving at? Are you stressed-out from trying to keep up with everyone else? Are you living under the stress of competition and comparison? Are you a perfectionist with unrealistic goals?

I believe we can live stress free in a stressful world, but it will require some decisions—possibly some radical decisions.

c/o Joyce Meyer