I’m so unbelievably frustrated right now! URGHH! To know me is to know that I don’t hold back or hold in…so I’m going to spill it! I have some unwanted drama in my life that really beats me down! For several weeks I have been in a constant state of consternation. I carry an incredible amount of weight around from emotional stress. HOLY MOLY, it’s not even the holidays for goodness sake! (sigh) The nature of my situation is mostly mental but occasionally the frustration filters down and effects my body. I become so mentally worn down and the tension creeps into my shoulders and neck. Fortunately, I found several methods of deflecting the stress in a positive manner! I give it away and shake it off. Rest and repeat. A practice never perfected!
My first and foremost source of strength is Jesus! I take my concerns, stress and drama straight to my Daddy, my Heavenly Father. I focus my attention on HIM and spend time in prayer! I get great comfort from the word, the Bible, the scriptures, the truth! It brings me back to center. By the way, so do naps! I pray and sleep and the combination provides a GREAT escape for me! Especially this time of year because I can bury under the covers.
I also get extreme satisfaction and relief from busting it up in the weight room and or the pavement! Sometimes the rush of pumping iron provides me a safe detour from the road to crazy town. You know that road where you drive deep deep into your own head and then you take a sharp left turn that winds you around and around only to end up at a dead-end! TRUST me, I have been there and it’s the ugly road to no-where. So, steer clear of the road to crazy town because it will only cause a negative outcome. Reacting harshly to office drama or family issues or bad behavior usually doesn’t do anyone good. Marital and financial stress are crappy culprits that hover around like a vulcher seeking prey. Instead of bickering and sequentially ripping someones head off, try taking a breath, taking a beat then TAKE It OUT ON The GYM! Think of it as recreational therapy!
Lately, I have spent a lot of time running the streets with my engine on over drive!! I’m like a mad woman with a motive! Saturday, I had a red-hot temper running the road flooded with anger endorphins. It felt like I was flying! My heart was racing with rage and I was trembling and I started praying! My feet never stopped moving. One foot in front of the other. I’m super methodical and I can run my 3.5 to 4 mile track blind folded! I don’t have to think about the streets or pot holes or turns. I totally immersed my mind in prayer! My body was on auto pilot and I didn’t even feel the sweat rolling down my face from the humid Texas air. I just kept running! I cried! I mean I let it out! My conversation with Jesus was raw and powerful. The relationship is precious because He calms my spirit! My indignation slowly subsided. I call this a true spiritual runners high!
When I take my issue or stress into the gym I feel a little less out of control! I dust off the stress with every rep! I focus on the form and movement which clears my mind of the other nonsense. I’m solely hyper focused for an hour or so on my body and my workout. My muscles get full attention and I know they will thank me later! In short, lol don’t allow your frustration to have its way with you! Knock it out on the treadmill or on the open road! If your mind will shut down take a nap and reboot! You don’t have to be a member of a gym to de-stress. You can squat, lunge, push up, mountain climb and burpee your frustration away from the comfort of your living room. After all, life IS like a box of chocolates and we don’t know what stress each day will bring and praying and RUNNING (in my best Forrest voice) is better than drinking, eating, starving, or going cra cra!
How do you fight family stress?
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