How to de-stress

Answer the following ten questions honestly. (1) Are you sometimes grumpy without knowing why? (2) Do you work hard but feel unappreciated? (3) Do you feel guilty and unproductive when you’re caught relaxing? (4) Do you increasingly find yourself shouting to make your point instead of talking calmly? (5) Can you remember the last time you laughed till you cried? (6) Are you exhausted after a day off because of all the chores you had to do? (7) Do you tend to eat more when you’re tense or overwhelmed? (8) Are you constantly on the defensive? (9) Do you suffer from unexplained headaches and stomach aches? (10) Does your to-do list have footnotes? So how did you do on the test? Are you surprised? If you’re tuned in to yourself, you shouldn’t be. The symptoms of stress overload don’t appear overnight. When your computer starts freezing up, you know it’s time to turn it off and reboot. When a warning light flashes on the dashboard of your car, you wouldn’t dream of ignoring it. When the bathroom scale pointer starts to spin like a fan, you know it’s time to ditch the brownies! The bottom line is, if you continue to ignore the warning signs, stress will eventually take its toll on your health. Jesus said, “Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated…disturbed… and unsettled” (John 14:27 AMPC). In other words, work on controlling your reactions. Stop losing your peace over every little thing that goes wrong in your life. When there’s nothing you can do about the situation, learn to trust God, let it go, and keep your joy.