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The journey between what you once were and who you are becoming is where the dance of life really takes place.
- Barbara DeAngelis |
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Volume 4 Issue 5 May 2010
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For More Information About... |
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| STRESS and YOU | | Dear Journey Reader:
Let's make a resolution - right here in the middle of the year! Let's resolve to lower our stress levels, starting today. Some stress is okay, but too much stress is bad for our physical and mental health.
First of all, here are important points to read, ponder, and remember:
- We cannot always control the things that cause us stress, but we can control how we react to and deal with stress. The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr is a good place to start: "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." For instance, if my stressor is the death of a parent, I know I cannot change that. But, if my stressor is my finances, I know I can do something about that. Once we can put our problems into their correct categories (things I cannot change, things I can change), then we can make better decisions about next steps.
- The way we deal with stress is a learned response, and we can learn new and more effective ways. Our behaviors may seem etched in stone, but they really aren't. Most of us learned our responses to stress as children. Daddy has a couple of beers and falls asleep on the couch when he's stressed out, so that must be what men to do. Mama locks herself in the bathroom and cries, so that must be what women do. I can eliminate these nonproductive ways of dealing with stress and find other ways that are more helpful. (See the list below)
- Many of us don't have strategies and techniques in place to help us cope, but we can develop them. If I know that spending time with a co-worker grates on my nerves, I can avoid the person or limit the time I have to be around that person. If I feel my stress level rising because I have too much to do at work, I must be aware of it and find a coping strategy. For instance, I can take deep breaths or go for a quick walk or talk to a trusted friend about it. I can also break the tasks down into manageable bits so it's not overwhelming.
- There is no need to spend time and energy on things that we can't change. Read the Serenity Prayer again. We waste untold amounts of time and energy on things over which we have no control. We're often like the farmer who goes out on the porch during hay baling season and curses the rain.
Other things you can do for stress relief are:
- Exercise. Research shows that the physical changes that take place while exercising have an effect on our mental functioning. Endorphins released during exercise helps lift depression and release stress. You don't have to join a gym or buy expensive equipment. You can walk around a park or through your neighborhood. Just get moving.
- Eat foods that are good for you. You know what they are. The healthier we are the better we feel (and the more energy we have).
- Surround yourself with a good support system. You need someone to talk to when you're depressed or when the stress is getting to you. Just unloading your burdens can make a world of difference in your stress level. Your support group may be friends, family, Sunday school class, or some other group. If you want to talk to someone confidentially, make an appointment with a mental health counselor.
- Priority Setting. There is more to life than work (gasp), school or household chores. Work/Life balance means that you include time for fun activities, self care and spiritual renewal.
- Plan how to use your energy. Rationing our energy is a radical concept for some of us, but it makes sense. It helps to write your plan on your calendar. Do your most difficult jobs first. Be sure to block off time to relax and time to spend with family. Don't forget to add a good night's sleep to the plan.
- Pace yourself. Your mind and body cannot run at full speed all the time. As for multitasking, new studies show that multitasking actually reduces productivity.
- Get a massage. A qualified therapist knows how to massage tight muscles caused by stress. For some of us, getting our hair washed at the hairdresser's is relaxing.
- Learn to say "no" and not feel guilty about it. You do not have to do everything that people ask of you.
- Be grateful. An attitude of gratitude changes your outlook. It's hard to feel negativity when you're thinking about your blessings.
- Get over yourself. Hard to believe, but the world does not revolve around you, and it is okay. We spend most of our time thinking about ourselves - what to eat, what to wear, where we're going, how much money we have, etc. Think about how you can help someone else.
- Laugh every chance you get. Laugh when nobody's looking. Laugh at yourself. Laugh for the fun of it.
Lower your stress,
Delane |
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The Greenleaf Center's 20th Annual International Conference
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The Greenleaf Center's Annual International Conference provides the opportunity for servant-leaders and those interested in Servant Leadership to meet each other, learn about servant leadership resources, and inspiration by outstanding speakers and workshop leaders.
There are two or three dozen workshops to choose from during a number of concurrent breakout sessions, as well as a one-day pre-conference with several in-depth workshops.
The 20th Annual International Conference titled Servant Leadership: Ethical, Practical, and Meaningful will be held in Atlanta and Columbus, Georgia, June 16-18, 2010. The pre-conference on June 16 will consist of a day in Columbus, Georgia, a servant-leader city. Buses will leave from the Sheraton Atlanta in the morning and return to the hotel from Columbus that evening. During the morning, attendees will visit organizations in Columbus that are applying servant leadership principles.
For information about some of the featured speakers, click here. Registration is now available for the Greenleaf Center's 20th Annual International Conference!
To download a form to complete, please click here. To register online, please click here.
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| Counselor Profile |
Having trouble dealing with your stress? It might help to talk with a Pastoral Institute counselor.
Judy is a Licensed Professional Counselor at the Pastoral Institute, a position she's held since 2002. She is also a National Certified Counselor. Her specialties include marriage and family issues, depression, anxiety and stress.
A talented artist, Judy relieves her own stress by painting. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Art degree from Auburn University and has taught art lessons to individuals and groups.
She received a Master of Science degree in Community Counseling from Columbus State University.
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Journey is a monthly publication of the Business Resource Center of the Pastoral Institute. It is our hope that you will find something in its pages that will help you on your life's journey. The Employee Assistance Program provided by your business or organization makes counseling services available for you and your family. To make an appointment in Columbus, call 706-649-6500; in Valley, AL call 334-768-2341; other locations, call 800-649-6446 for a referral in your area. Counseling is confidential. |
Disclaimer:
Information contained in this newsletter is for information only and is not intended to replace qualified medical or mental health assessments. If you need immediate assistance, or if you or your family is in crisis, please contact a qualified mental health provider. If you are suicidal, call 911 or go immediately to the nearest hospital emergency room. |
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Business Resource Center, a division of the Pastoral Institute | 2022 Fifteenth Avenue | Columbus | GA | 31901
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