Those Moments of Weakness We All Could Do Without!

We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie. -David Mamet

Point To Ponder:
Are you having more “moments” and experiencing more stress than normal?

Action Item:
Realize your limitations, set your priorities, focus on the important things and get at least seven hours of sleep per night.

by Neissa Springmann

Several nights ago before going to bed I had “a moment.” It was on the heels of Russell leaving for two weeks, and the reality of being a single mom was sinking in. Don’t get me wrong, I am completely aware that I have a wonderful life, an equally fabulous husband, and that I do not have a clue what it is like to be a single mom, but I was very tired and feeling sorry for myself.

So, rather than go straight to sleep where all of my stress and anxiety would have been swept away by the sandman, I marched myself into the living room to voice my pity party. Thankfully I remained calm, but proceeded to tell Russell all of the reasons why I hated his job (which I don’t) and how I felt like I was raising Durant on my own (which I don’t). It even got to the point where he started to console me but I stopped him and told him I was not interested in his advice and simply wanted his support, which is code for “be quiet, nod your head ‘yes’ and let me complain.” After about ten minutes of having “my moment,” I went to bed where the good night’s sleep took care of everything, like it almost always does.

Why not try a calming walk around Town Lake?
Girlfriends + nature + exercise = (: (: (:

A few days later I made the assessment that being an adult was hard, which -thank goodness- my parents never told me, because I might not have ever moved out of their house! The truth is that adulthood is filled with a million decisions, responsibilities and stressful situations, but it’s usually nothing that time with girlfriends, exercise, chocolate, prayer and a good night’s sleep can’t cure.

In the all-too-often event you are experiencing stress and are in need of having “a moment,” below are three stress reducing tips from Susan Fletcher, a practicing psychologist and stress management expert, who is also married and a mother of three children:

Don’t read into things so much. Don’t make things bigger than they need to be—with people or work. Some people make a project bigger than it needs to be in an effort to increase their own value, but they are increasing their own stress as a result.
Recognize when you are being inefficient. “People who are stressed get stuck answering e-mails for two hours at the expense of higher-value items that need to be taken care of,” Fletcher says. “Don’t get lost in inefficient behavior. Ask yourself, ‘What’s my ultimate outcome I want here and what do I need to get there?'”
Say no sometimes. “You have to say no to things you might enjoy, but are not in line with where you are professionally or personally at the moment,” Fletcher says. Then you can spend your time on what matters to you most.

All in all, stress is a normal part of life and a healthy dose of it is a good thing, as it allows us to practice our faith, become more wise and more relatable. However, it’s equally as important that we realize our limitations, set our priorities, focus on the important things and keep a giant roll of bubble wrap nearby, as shown helpful in this week’s video: