Many of us lead extremely busy lives in this modern day and age, which can often lead to anxiety and stress. For instance, there is often the pressure to succeed to gain the respect of those around us. Hence when we may not fulfil the goals and expectations that we may set for ourselves, within our desired time frame, it can lead to great stress and frustration. This can then manifest itself in physical, mental and emotional problems. I was speaking to a friend only the other day, who admitted to experiencing recent neck pains probably as a result of stress. This triggered my memory of an article I had read in a magazine on how to lift one's mood to "banish the blues". Some of the suggestions included things like:
Regular Exercise: Brisk walking can help to increase blood circulation to the rest of our bodies generating more oxygen for the brain. Many of us sit at desks much of the day in front of the computer, so it is important to engage in more movement when we get the opportunity.
Count Your Blessings: we are often tempted to compare ourselves to people around us who seem to be doing much better than we are. For instance, those who earn more, have more, have more talents, seem to be better looking , more popular and so on. However it can be healthier to think of those who are less fortunate then ourselves in order to realize the privileged life many of us lead. We (including myself) need to be thankful for the things that God has given us today. A good way to nurture an attitude of gratitude is at the end of the day to write in a little book 10 things you can be thankful for. This can start off with even basic things like having the ability to see (as opposed to being blind), the full use of our fingers arms and legs (as opposed to not having full use of them) and so on. This exercise is not to develop a superior attitude to those who are less fortunate, but help us be more contented with what we have and even help those who don't have as much as we do.
When I formerly sponsored a child in Africa through "Compassion", I would often read their regular magazine from cover to cover which not only showed me the needs of the poor in the world, but helped me to be more thankful and content with what I already have.
The Bible says in :- 1
Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it.
Philippians 4:11-13 I am not saying this because I am in need , for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
This is not to say that we should not desire things and set goals to achieve them. However I believe these verses encourage us not to live in frustration, anxiety and stress when we do not attain or receive what we want , when we want it. God wishes that we will live at peace on this earth and realise that true inner happiness is only acquired, first through the unconditional love of God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
I also realized that boosting our self esteem is also helpful in reducing stress in our lives. I believe self esteem is something that we all need to work on at different stages of our lives. During the teenage years self esteem can be a great challenge as young people are endeavouring to find their identity and path into the adult world. However even into adulthood, the circumstances or setbacks that we face can often be a new challenge to our self esteem, no matter how solid our family foundations were. For instance after a relationship breakup, divorce, job loss, loss of job promotion, sickness, terminal illness, financial problems and so on.
Hence I would like to share with you an article that I stumbled upon again the other day which proved helpful for me , many years ago . Hopefully some of the items on the following list will help you to boost your own self esteem and enable you to live a more happier and less stressful life.
Why is Self Esteem Important?
Self esteem is the way you feel about yourself and is reflected in the way you treat yourself and how others treat you. It is the value and worth that you place on yourself and what you allow yourself to have.
