I spoke to a friend I’ll call Karen the other day. She is totally stressed out due to economic and personal reasons.
She lost a good chunk of her retirement savings in the recent Wall Street meltdown; she’s worried about her job security because the company where she works is not doing well; her husband is grouchy because of the pressure he’s under at his job; and her son is depressed because he’s afraid there will be no job for him when he finishes college next year.
All these are valid reasons to feel pressure and stress which I won’t attempt to minimize. However, learning to handle the pressure from events like these will be more and more critical to our well-being as time goes on.
The world has changed and it won’t be going back the way it was for a long, long time, so it’s up to each one of us to find a way to overcome the sometimes overwhelming events which surround us on every side.
Here are five simple ways to rise above the commotion:
1. Turn off the news. Journalism has become a lost art. The sensation-chasing muppets on most “news” shows today are just stirring the pot, trying to whip us into a frenzy so we’ll buy their sponsors’ latest books, gizmos, or pills to remove the stress they’ve helped create. Shut ‘em down.
2. Feed your mind with positive, helpful information. Now is a great time to read or re-read the classics, whether by truly great novelists or inspirational heroes like Dale Carnegie, Earl Nightingale and others. Great writing by positive, creative people will inspire you to create your own positive path, despite what others around you are doing.
3. Keep a journal. Especially in conjunction with #2 above, writing even a few sentences each day will help you gain perspective and allows you to keep track of valuable insights and wisdom you pick up along the way. Soon you’ll be able to read your own writing as a source of inspiration, as well.
4.Get some exercise. The importance of moving your body daily cannot be overemphasized. You will increase oxygen flow to your brain and vital organs, pump up your energy level and release powerful depression-chasing substances into your cells. Exercise also tends to motivate you to eat better, and good food like fruits, vegetables, and lean meats and fish will strengthen you from the inside out. Avoid junk food as it will make you feel lousy.
5. Breathe deeply. I’ve saved this one for last as it’s the simplest yet most overlooked way to gain control of your thoughts and emotions. Taking a few minutes several times a day to sit quietly and breathe deeply, all the way to your toes, while picturing what you want has tremendous effects on your serenity and your health. Don’t neglect this powerful energizer as a way to pull out of a negative emotional or mental state.
While these five steps won’t raise the stock market or necessarily effect some of the things you’re stressed about, they will strengthen and fortify YOU so you can think clearly and develop rational alternatives for yourself.
You can change the game from Overwhelm to Overcome when you use your God-given faculties in a way that increases your opportunities for success.
