Feeling stressed is something that we all experience at some point or another. For some it may be more often or more severe than others and it’s effects can range from low to high even to the point in which it can cause illness in our bodies. It’s important for us to learn what stress can do to our lives and how it can affect us and impact our relationships or our inner peace with ourselves. When the situations come into our lives we always have a choice! we can always choose how to react. Do we get angry, frustrated, bitter, sad, etc? All of these emotions that tend to come from stress are negative, therefore we need to learn how to manage them and become the masters of them! before they become the masters of us!…WE ARE IN CONTROL
When we realize how stress presents itself in our bodies and how we are currently reacting to it… We can practice and be prepared to know how to take control of ourselves when the situation arises or even if something more difficult was to happen. We all know that when we let stress or those negative emotions win in ourselves it never feels good 🙁 its as if we loose control of ourselves and all it brings its even more negativity into our lives. But when we can master ourselves and at least take control of our emotions even if we can’t control what the “stressor” is, we can control our emotions and our reaction to the situation. When we react in the most positive way for ourselves and those around us, we can defeat what “stress” used to cause in us and instead turn it into a strengthening situation for us, that can build us as a person, purify us and allow us to receive positive consequences from our situations. It will take control and practice but we are completely capable of doing it.
Here are a few ways that can help us to react to our situations better and to have more control! 🙂
Be realistic Being realistic about what we expect of ourselves and others is the best defense against stress. We have to be real with ourselves and those around us. Open, honest and realistic communication and expectations will support growth but keep stress in check.
Keep fit- Spiritually and physically Physical bodies require rest, exercise and a good diet. We can also keep our souls healthy through daily prayer and scripture study.
Set priorities and goals De-stress by prioritizing what the most important things are that need to get done. Planning will give us direction and lead to accomplishments.
Change your pace Take a break to do something you enjoy (including nothing) in stressful situations this can help ease the pressure. Try serving someone else to put your own problems into perspective.
Share your struggles Surrounding ourselves with supportive people who we can confide in. or writing about our day and what we learned from it can also be therapeutic.
Be grateful and Happy
we can choose to be happy! Happiness that doesn’t depend on ANYTHING EXTERNAL but instead happiness that comes from WITHIN!!! I know that sounds strange because we have been taught that happiness comes from having material things, ex; if I have a better car, then i’ll be happy or a bigger house, or those shoes…etc or we have also heard that you need to have the best career, a great body, be successful, have knowledge etc…But those things don’t bring true happiness, they may add comfort to our lives but being truly happy is what comes from inside us.
Some of the countries with the most poverty have the happiest people!..yet, we have so much and so many times we complain that we need more to be happy. Being happy is something that can be felt no matter the circumstances because it comes from inside, it is not determined or measured by what we have or what we don’t have. It is simply there because we CHOOSE to be happy in our situations. It comes from a deep trust and a faith in God that He loves us deeply enough to help us get through anything! allowing our “stressful” situations to build us and edify us in the way that God wants us to be strengthened. True happiness comes from knowing that we are at peace with God and that there is no need for anything external to affect or determine our joy, because our joy comes from the peace of God, and of knowing that when we react to life in this way of joy and gratitude, He will provide for us in amazing ways and give us much more than what the world sees as ‘happiness”. We can be grateful and happy in our circumstances and receive the true joy that comes from inside us and doest depend on our external circumstances.
Our Spiritual goal for the week is to slow down our stress, to choose to master ourselves and how we will react to our situations. <3 God will provide us with peace and the inner joy to be able to have unlimited happiness and finding the joy no matter what 
Our physical goal is to exercise and do things that will help us release stress! we can workout, meditate or have some alone quiet time to relax.
Tonight we will focus on stress relief! we will work hard and kick that stress out!!! We will also take some time to meditate and relax our bodies and our minds to feel centered, energized, happy and thankful to have so many blessings! <3….Life is good and all things will work out for our benefit when we think positively of our situations and GROW from the difficult times. We have the power to choose joy and peace in our situations. Lets do that and enjoy the true joy that comes fro within and its not based on anything external <3
Have a blessed and wonderful day!
xoxo,
LILI 
