Tag: journaling

Are You Stressed Out?

What does it mean to be stressed? How do you deal with stress? In my blog post How To Handle Stress And Anxiety I discussed the meaning of stress and anxiety in a practical way.  But are you feeling stressed out? These are some of the questions I have been pondering for days. I’m normally not stressed out but if you add enough stress to anyone you can become stressed out. It’s how we deal with stress and what we do to prevent it from consuming us is exactly what we will be discussing.

I have like everybody else been affected one way or another by Covid19. It has changed our routine, caused hesitation and at times isolation. Any one of these three items can cause a person to feel stress but adding all three can cause high anxiety, fear and feelings of overwhelming uncertainty.

As I write this, we had a high stressed week of dealing with a medical provider who no longer accepts our insurance. This caused us a lot of stress. Since my husband just had open-heart surgery and six days later a pacemaker put in it is not the time to change medical insurance. I have told you this so that when you are reading this you will understand I am speaking from my experiences too.

Let us only add to this week’s stress Saturday evening at nine pm we discovered our furnace was not working. And the company we usually call was not answering but in their defense I did not have their emergency number. Thankfully my daughter knew of Petit Home Services which came out to work on our furnace.

Life is funny no matter how you look at it, life throws curve balls, such as the insurance, furnace etc. Stress isn’t always a bad thing it can motivate us to get things done. How you look, think or feel about your situations can increase or decrease your stress levels.

We can help ourselves when situations are stressful by practicing breathing techniques such as breathe in deeply and slowly releasing the air through your mouth. This gives your brain, body and emotions time to calm when you are feeling overwhelmed.

I wrote in the article ‘How to handle stress and anxiety’ about knowing your anxiety and stress symptoms. If your heart is racing calming yourself through breathing and helpful self-talk will decrease your symptoms in a stressful situation.

I hope by using our weeks stresses it will be beneficial to you. In the first place just getting a major operation is one of life’s biggest stressors. So being in stress now and getting the news about the provider no longer accepts our insurance proved to be a major stressor for us. Our first reply was shock and anger that the heart doctor’s office (owned by a corporation network) is now refusing our insurance.

But then I decided to stop and think ok who should I talk to? I called and asked questions. Note: Stopping to think through options of who, what and where helps to collect your thoughts. I believe I did take a few deep breaths. Because there was conflicting information coming from the Dr. office and the physicians billing department. I did back and forth calling for three days to get correct information.

Plus, I called our insurance company. Then I called Northwestern Memorial and we switched my husband’s care back with them until we can find a new cardiologist in our area. This is just a brief example of how I dealt with a stressful situation this week.

For some people that would not be stressful for us it was since my husband is still on restrictions from surgery. Why am I telling the world our situation because I know that how I have learned to handle and go through stressful situations can help someone else.

I started this article with are you stressed out. This is an important question. Our bodies system has been designed to cope with stress if stress is not managed our physical body goes into overload and eventually other health symptoms will occur. Dealing with stress means you actively recognize your stress symptoms and are coping with your stress in healthy ways i.e., prayer, journaling, releasing emotions, breathing techniques, mediation, humor, exercise etc.

Repressing stress is not dealing with it and that causes more stress. So, if you’re under a lot of stress and we all are with covid19 restrictions do yourself a favor and find healthy ways to release your stress. Peace in the storm…

How To Handle Stress And Anxiety

What is stress and anxiety? Is there any difference between stress and anxiety? What are the symptoms of both, and can you identify as your starting to experience the symptoms? Why are these questions important to know?

My interpretation of stress is the physical and emotional reaction to an event in life that produces a fight or flight response. Also, any event which causes you to feel frustration, anger nervousness. Gary R. Collins Ph.D. wrote in his book ‘Christian Counseling.’ “Anxiety is an inner feeling of apprehensions, uneasiness, concern, worry, and/or dread that is accompanied by heightened physical arousal.” Anxiety also triggers a fight or flight response. There is a normal quantity of stress or anxiety that has the potential to motivate one to carry out tasks or avoid dangerous situations. This kind of stress is useful to understand and allow it to motivate you.

Learning how to manage stress and anxiety by recognizing the signs and symptoms helps one to decrease the symptoms from progressing. This helps to calm ones physical and emotional responses.

Both stress and anxiety have similar symptoms and have been used interchangeable. Therefore, I will give a brief list of symptoms on stress which can be used interchangeably with anxiety. You can find many good articles on both symptoms and definitions.  Physical Symptoms of stress can be but not limited to increased heart rate, sweaty palms, frequent urination, digestive issues, jaw tightness, headaches, sleeplessness, fatigue. Emotional symptoms can be but not limited to anger, sleeplessness, irritability, racing thoughts, memory problems or depression.

Knowing your stress and/or anxiety symptoms will help to decrease the progression of symptoms and help you to diffuse the fight or flight reactions.

I too am experiencing stress and anxiety we are facing my husband having heart surgery for the second time. We have been in a holding pattern for months waiting on tests and results, with medical appointments as well as Covid19 restrictions at hospitals etc… I can safely say the whole world has been in a stressful experience for many months effecting all our lives.

Dr. Collins states, “Anxiety arises from threat, conflict, fear, unmet needs, physiology, and individual differences.” This article is to provide us with a brief and practical applications to help cope with stress and moderate anxiety. If you are experiencing long term anxiety, I recommend you try to find medical and therapeutic help. Mental health is extremely important and the stigma of looking for help should no longer keep anyone away from seeking help. God gives wisdom to doctors, psychiatrists, therapists, and counselors to help individuals get the help they need.   

How do you handle stress and anxiety? I choose to self-talk with positive statements of scripture, I also pray and depend on Gods character to care for me. I use breathing techniques, mediating on the goodness of Jesus and journaling. I have been taught through the years when you understand your symptoms you can begin to apply these useful tools to reduce your stress or anxiety symptoms.

Here are a few helpful suggestions in dealing with stress. Exercise, breath in deeply though your nose and slowing expel the air out your mouth, meditate, meditation is biblical if you are unaware how to meditate it is simple. To mediate simply sit quietly think on a positive thought or scripture and repeat it 3-4xs. I speak slowly and say Jesus is light, Jesus is Truth, Jesus is Peace 3-4xs, speak positive self-talk, prayer is beneficial in all situations, speaking scripture out loud, and journaling is just some helpful suggestions.

Another wonderful technique is to ask yourself questions about the thoughts you are thinking. Dr. Daniel Amen founder of Amen Clinics has an excellent tool called “Learn to kill the ANTS” ‘Automatic Negative Thinking’ questions “1) Ask yourself is it true? 2)Is it absolutely true with 100% certainty? 3) How do I feel when I believe this thought? 4)How would I feel if I couldn’t have the thought? 5)Turn the thought around to its exact opposite.” I saw him on a PBS fundraiser many years ago and wrote down notes on this technique applied it to my life and it truly made a difference in stressful situations. After asking yourself these questions you will begin to defuse the automatic negative thoughts that stir up anxiety.

I pray that this article provides you some practical applications to assist in dealing with stress and anxiety.  

Journaling…

Is there a benefit to journaling?  And if there is what are the benefits of journaling.  I love to journal it gives me a sense of direction, a release of thoughts and emotions too.

Jeremiah 30:2 “Thus speaks the LORD God of Israel, saying; ‘Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you.’”

Why would God tell Jeremiah to write in a book for himself everything God said?  I believe so that Jeremiah would have a book/journal to look at and remember all that God said and did.  Especially when it looked like nothing had changed or wasn’t getting better.

Psalm 103:1-5 “Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits; 3) Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all  your disease, 4) Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5) Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

This Psalm describes what God does for his people.  I love the “forget not all His benefits” part because we forget so writing it down helps us to remember.  Another reason why I journal.

Journaling is healthy for all. Unless your environment is abusive then journaling could be dangerous.  If so, write it and throw it away it gets out the emotions and that are built up.

For those who don’t have to be concerned about someone using their journal against them I recommend keeping a journal because it has several benefits.

First benefit, you can write your feelings, prayers and praise reports.

Second benefit, it helps you to get your emotions and thoughts out and it helps to see what you’re thinking plus sometimes it brings you clarity.

Thirdly, it keeps you moving forward.  When I have a goal, I write it down and the steps I will use to accomplish it.  This helps me to stay focused and moving forward.

Builders use blueprints to see the plan and check their next step.  Journals can be same. I like to write all my thoughts the good and bad and then I can see where I’m at.

Our hearts can deceive us so when I write it down, I know if my heart is off track.  Then the Holy spirit directs me back.  (He’ll do this without writing too. God has a way of letting us know where we are at.)

Today take a moment and write out your thoughts and see your heart.  I tell people don’t be religious in your journals. God already knows what you’re really thinking so be real and allow yourself to be free in your journal.

As you express yourself freely you will begin to develop an awareness of your emotions and thoughts.  Then you’ll begin to recognize quicker the negative, anxious or fearful patterns that knock us out of peace.

Try journaling for a month and look back after the month is over to see your growth in recognizing your thoughts and emotions.