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Pray and THANK

Tell and LIFT

and have Productive Relaxation.

Why of all the things I could have chosen to pick when limiting myself to three, did I select these?

Good question!

I know myself (and I figure we are all pretty much the same in this regard), so I realized that if I made a long laundry list of things to do to alleviate stress, we would never remember it, much less do it. The last thing I want to do is cause you MORE stress!

So, I thought about what three tips would be the most effective and productive while bringing the MOST successful and long-lasting consequences and results. Let me know if you find these keys as helpful as I have.

 

Pray and Thank Then Write

This is actually a two-part:

1a- PRAY and thank God for what you are grateful for each day

1b- WRITE down at least once a day in a gratitude journal what you are grateful for to God that He did for YOU, your family, etc. to BLESS.

• Praying is such an important, life-changing practice. It helps us remember that we DO always have something to be happy about, even in the middle of a crisis or whirlwind of trouble and chaos. Look to our Lord daily, and confess that there’s been at least ONE blessing from Him this day. Looking to our Creator and recognizing His hand in our life can’t help but ease our burden.

 

• Have a little notebook where each night you write down ONE thing (more if you’d like!) that you were grateful for that day. Some days, the only thing you can possibly jot down is that you had the strength to hold the pen to scribble… Again, I promise that by doing this, crediting and valuing God’s love for you in even the simplest of ways, your life will change. I guarantee it!

 

Your circumstances may not change; however, your ability to carry the weight of responsibility will be alleviated and you will feel His love in ways you never, ever expected. Plus, your Heavenly Father will give you blessings so much quicker because you thank Him and praise Him. Consider when your own family members thank you, you are quicker to do much more; is it not the same with our Heavenly Father!?

 

 

Compliment, Thank, and Encourage

2- TELL by emailing, texting, or handwriting a note DAILY to someone, by praising or thanking them. Do not forget family members too.

• Commit to spending 5 minutes on sharing gratitude. Maybe you can do this each morning first thing at work, sending an email, text, or handwritten note to just one person. Tell them how much you appreciate them, thank them for their kindness, or send a word of encouragement.

 

• In this ever-increasing competitive world that grows smaller each day, particularly with social media where everything and everyone can be easily shared ‘at its best,’ we all feel insecure and vulnerable in one sense or another. It does not take one bit away from us to lift another person’s spirits, remind them of their strengths and how much you appreciate the good you see in them.

 

• By building another person, you are reducing your own stress and incredibly INCREASING YOUR OWN JOY!

 

Productive Relaxation

3- We have SO many things and people battling for our time and attention that we rarely have time – NO, rarely do we MAKE time to be quiet and still.

 

• The inspired and significant thoughts and impressions that come to our minds do NOT come when music, shows, or games are blaring. Nor do they come when we are constantly preoccupied mentally with electronic devices going everywhere with us – never leaving a moment of silence unless we make that choice.

 

• The great minds of long ago had quiet, alone time to ponder the deep aspects of eternity and life. We must make the effort to have at least five DAILY minutes of quiet. It is an interesting technique of an enemy who would not want us to have communication with God to occupy our minds constantly (24/7) with shallow, simple-minded, and trivial noise.

 

• Intentionally make TIME to relax and PONDER the truly important things in life. What is truly important to you? What are you doing to leave behind a praiseworthy and commendable legacy (nothing to do with monetary, all to do with uprightness and honor)?

 

Practice breathing techniques.

Slow down your breathing and actively concentrate on it.

Imagine a personal paradise. Close your eyes and envision a different setting. What do you see around you? Is there a breeze? What do you hear – birds or water? Imagine the calming sound of ocean waves reaching the shore. Enjoy a moment in your special place.

• Do belly breathing: Put your hands on your stomach and when you breathe in, try to push away your hands. When you breathe out, make your hands go toward you.
• Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
• Inhale deeply as you count to five, hold your breath for five seconds, then exhale slowly, counting to five. Do this ten times to relax your muscles and nerves. As you breathe out, visualize the stress and tension leaving your body through your breath. (WIKI.com)

 

Conclusion

 I, just like you, struggle with stress and all the troubles life brings. Yet, I sincerely believe that these THREE approaches, easily doable in a 15-minute daily routine, can solve so many of our fears, anxieties, and even health issues.

1. Pray daily and thank God above for your blessings that day and write down ONE thing you are grateful for
2. Send a text, email, or note telling someone else how much you appreciate them, thank them, or encourage them
3. Relax for at least 5 minutes by deep breathing or whatever method to have the mindset and way to ponder and receive inspiration

Our life will be incredibly more JOYFUL, and calm, allowing us to then make it better for those we love.

Most importantly, these simple steps can bring us closer to God, making communication easier to hear His will, thus making our lives richer and happier!

 

Click for The Keys to Managing Stress, Part 1

Copyright Carrie Groneman, A Mother’s Shadow, 2022

Recognize a blessing and be a blessing today

 

Image by Pedro Figueras from Pixabay