Stress. Anxiety. Worry. Fear.

Tips for Managing Stress by Dr. Mary Lyles

Take a moment to notice what is going on right now, in this very moment in your life. Are you safe in this moment? What do you feel around you? What does the air feel like? What do you hear? What do you smell?

In this moment, you have the ability to look for help. And you are here.

So, before you read further, take a moment to be still and just notice...and breathe!

Most of us live our lives either remembering the past, or being concerned about the future. We can go through life this way, missing the very moment of living.

Of course, concerns about loved ones and circumstances are a common experience and require attention and planning. If you are in danger, you must get help.

For many, though, worry becomes a habit that is difficult to break. So, the exercise I described earlier can become a new habit. Scientific studies show that when we quiet our minds and focus only on breathing, our body calms. Blood pressure and heart rate can decrease. Our minds can find new energy to face today's challenges.

TIPS FOR MANAGING STRESS:

1. Avoid unnecessary stress.

2. Make changes to reduce stress.

3. When the stressors cannot be changed, adjust your expectations.

4. Make time for fun, relaxation, and exercise.

5. Adopt a healthy lifestyle.

6. Remember the Serenity Prayer.

THE SERENITY PRAYER

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen. --Reinhold Niebuhr