Stress is defined as: "a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances."
Everyone is stressed at least a million times in their life. It sounds bad, but honestly sometimes stress can be good. Jane, are you crazy?! Even as I write that statement I think about deleting it and fight against its truth. Yes. Stress can be a good thing. But like every good thing, it can just as easily be a evil burden we carry causing us to loose sight of what's really important. I am a person who is often very easily affected by stress. It has the power to either control my life for the worst or motivate me for the better. The existence of stress in our life brings the opportunity for us to learn many valuable life lessons.
While most schools- high schools and colleges, semester ends before winter break and finals occur right before break. My school district happens to want to switch semesters at the end of January (don't ask me why) and that means we have just two weeks back in school before finals occur... great. As a freshman, you hear a lot about finals: all the stress, the studying, and the pressure of them. The first week back from winter break I was absolutely petrified by the idea of finals. I was so stressed I couldn't eat right, couldn't sleep right, and became very short tempered and easily aggravated. I thought to myself one night, I don't want to be like this. I don't want to be this girl. This girl who's loosing sight of what's important. I decided to LET GO.
I let go of my fears of these tests, the looming overwhelming feeling was gone. I cleared my head, by going on a long walk and just meditating on peace. I realized I can't control the outcome of my finals. Now, don't confuse my encouragement of letting go and saying we can't control things. We can control somethings, but we must realize the things we can't. In this instance I could control some things; the number of hours I studied, the effort of keeping myself healthy, my attitude. However, I couldn't control; the grade I achieved on these tests, my efforts in not getting sick, overall my experience of finals. We can control somethings in life, but it ultimately takes our wisdom to know and surrender when we realize we just can't control something.
Here's a small prayer I meditate over when I'm feeling stressed: "God, grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."
Songs I listen to when I'm stressed: "Refuge"and "Cast my Cares" by Finding Favour
I encourage everyone to let go. This is one of the most challenging convictions in my life. It's hard for me to surrender and realize I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know what's right all the time. I don't have any guarantees about life. I don't have control over what happens tomorrow. Control we can strive for, but ultimately the stronger person is the one who accepts defeat and lets go.
Letting go of stress is already challenging for most people (congrats if you are that special person this doesn't apply to), but I want to challenge you to take 'letting go' to another level. We all have dreams, hopes, desires, and expectations- what if we let them go? I'm not saying to "give up" and stop striving for these things, but often these dreams, hopes, desires, and expectations can lead to discouragement and discontentment.
Many people have described me as a "hopeless romantic" or "starry eyed future bride". I'm the girl who dreams about her wedding and the joys of falling in love. While often dreaming of such things can seem fun and harmless, I have realized the danger they have brought to my heart. It becomes more and more difficult for me to be content in my life currently when I'm constantly dreaming about the desires of my heart. My testament and my challenge to you is to find contentment in your life by letting go of those desires that are prohibiting you from being happy now.
There are so many times letting go has caused for me to achieve my hearts desire. I would love to share more and more about how this is my testament, and will continue to talk about what letting go can do for your life. Again, my challenge to you is to reflect on all the things in your life you can't let go for some reason or another. Maybe it's the seat you sit in on the bus, the pressure of completing a 4.0 (with hard work you can achieve it), or the fairytale dream of riding off into the sunset with your prince. I know it's hard, so start out small and for just a day or a week try letting go of the things holding you back and see how you feel.
Let me know what are the burdens you carry from holding on and not letting go and your testimonies of how you let go :)
Everyone is stressed at least a million times in their life. It sounds bad, but honestly sometimes stress can be good. Jane, are you crazy?! Even as I write that statement I think about deleting it and fight against its truth. Yes. Stress can be a good thing. But like every good thing, it can just as easily be a evil burden we carry causing us to loose sight of what's really important. I am a person who is often very easily affected by stress. It has the power to either control my life for the worst or motivate me for the better. The existence of stress in our life brings the opportunity for us to learn many valuable life lessons.
While most schools- high schools and colleges, semester ends before winter break and finals occur right before break. My school district happens to want to switch semesters at the end of January (don't ask me why) and that means we have just two weeks back in school before finals occur... great. As a freshman, you hear a lot about finals: all the stress, the studying, and the pressure of them. The first week back from winter break I was absolutely petrified by the idea of finals. I was so stressed I couldn't eat right, couldn't sleep right, and became very short tempered and easily aggravated. I thought to myself one night, I don't want to be like this. I don't want to be this girl. This girl who's loosing sight of what's important. I decided to LET GO.
I let go of my fears of these tests, the looming overwhelming feeling was gone. I cleared my head, by going on a long walk and just meditating on peace. I realized I can't control the outcome of my finals. Now, don't confuse my encouragement of letting go and saying we can't control things. We can control somethings, but we must realize the things we can't. In this instance I could control some things; the number of hours I studied, the effort of keeping myself healthy, my attitude. However, I couldn't control; the grade I achieved on these tests, my efforts in not getting sick, overall my experience of finals. We can control somethings in life, but it ultimately takes our wisdom to know and surrender when we realize we just can't control something.
Here's a small prayer I meditate over when I'm feeling stressed: "God, grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."
Songs I listen to when I'm stressed: "Refuge"and "Cast my Cares" by Finding Favour
I encourage everyone to let go. This is one of the most challenging convictions in my life. It's hard for me to surrender and realize I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know what's right all the time. I don't have any guarantees about life. I don't have control over what happens tomorrow. Control we can strive for, but ultimately the stronger person is the one who accepts defeat and lets go.
Letting go of stress is already challenging for most people (congrats if you are that special person this doesn't apply to), but I want to challenge you to take 'letting go' to another level. We all have dreams, hopes, desires, and expectations- what if we let them go? I'm not saying to "give up" and stop striving for these things, but often these dreams, hopes, desires, and expectations can lead to discouragement and discontentment.
Many people have described me as a "hopeless romantic" or "starry eyed future bride". I'm the girl who dreams about her wedding and the joys of falling in love. While often dreaming of such things can seem fun and harmless, I have realized the danger they have brought to my heart. It becomes more and more difficult for me to be content in my life currently when I'm constantly dreaming about the desires of my heart. My testament and my challenge to you is to find contentment in your life by letting go of those desires that are prohibiting you from being happy now.
There are so many times letting go has caused for me to achieve my hearts desire. I would love to share more and more about how this is my testament, and will continue to talk about what letting go can do for your life. Again, my challenge to you is to reflect on all the things in your life you can't let go for some reason or another. Maybe it's the seat you sit in on the bus, the pressure of completing a 4.0 (with hard work you can achieve it), or the fairytale dream of riding off into the sunset with your prince. I know it's hard, so start out small and for just a day or a week try letting go of the things holding you back and see how you feel.
Let me know what are the burdens you carry from holding on and not letting go and your testimonies of how you let go :)
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