It's a Stressful Life

It is not new news that on-going stress can negatively impact your health.  Life is hard.  Whether you are working, or home.  Whether you are single, or a parent.  When you are in college, or retired.  It is inevitable that things will happen in life to cause stress, from documents and deadlines to diapers and dollar signs.  Evaluate your own stress-level and determine if being stressed has become your new normal.  Here are 3 ways to improve your health by decreasing stress:

  1. Exercise:  Exercise helps stress.  Period.  Surely this isn't the first time you've heard this, HOWEVER, exercise can become stressful trying to fit a "work-out" in.  Stop stressing about the number of calories burned and simply move.  A brisk walk will do the trick, but any form of exercise is going to be a good way to relieve some tension.  See more on this below.
  2. De-clutter: Studies have been done on how clutter can contribute to stress.  It is wise for us to get rid of things in our lives that are causing clutter (in our possessions as well as in our schedules).  Pinterest can be a detriment to the de-cluttering cause, as one saves everything to one day turn it into a craft.  Sometimes we need to release ourselves from the Pinterest spell and just let creativity happen naturally.  Use Pinterest as inspiration, but don't let it put pressure on you to have the perfect house.  
  3. Quiet Time: Clean up your schedule and make time to read, reflect, pray, and meditate.  Focusing on things other than yourself help give perspective.  If you have kids and they are not allowing you to have a quiet time, use evenings to relax and let other projects go if need be.  Or use controlled media so you have a chance to catch your breath.  
We are working towards de-cluttering, and it is as though the stress is melting away as I let go of unneeded things.


On a more personal note:  I will start by saying that I am so thankful for my children.  I am so blessed to have a wonderful, supportive husband and 2 healthy kids.  However, it is hard.  Having 2 kids under 18 months apart is really tough, for reasons that only other moms who have experienced this know.  It has been especially hard this past week when kids are throwing up and have crusty eyes and they need their mommy all day long.  I will not go into all the details, because I am not complaining...but right now, reality is that life is hard and I am stressed.  I need to do what I can to reduce my stress for my health and for the health of my family.

For the moms:  you need to have realistic expectations of what it means to be healthy.  If you are not a mom, please show compassion towards moms, especially those who have multiple kids in diapers.  Being Healthy as a mom is hard because you are not on your own schedule or even on your own grocery plan.  Going to the gym was great while it lasted, but trying to get there with 2 young kids actually became a stressor for me rather than a stress-reliever.  I find that exercise needs to happen in a way that works for me and for my schedule and lifestyle.  There is not only one formula to healthy.  I found another option that was a better one for my family.  I'll miss my friends at Gold's, though!


I am trying to clean out some stressors in my life, but here are other posts about how clean is my word for 2014: