Did you know that the word "stressed" is "desserts" spelled backwards? If you think about it, there's a lesson to be learned here. What causes stress? Things in our lives we find difficult to cope with, external pressures, internal conflict, etc. I don't know what they called it before they came up with the word "stress" but I know the symptoms have been around for ages and somehow I think people handled it a lot better than we do today. We seem to live in a society now which consists of labels and we seem to need to qualify our feelings or circumstances with a label, and "stress" seems to be the answer nine times out of ten. "Don't get stressed" is something I hear a lot in many places. I believe I am correct in assuming that the older generation would have said "Deal with it!"

When I'm asked if I'm undergoing any kind of stress in my life, how am I supposed to respond? I don't have enough time in the day to do all the things required of me at work; I don't have enough time in the evening to accomplish all of the things required or desired of me in my personal life; I don't have enough time in the night to get the sleep my body needs; I don't have enough time on the weekends to catch up. So am I stressed?! Could be! I have a lot of energy to burn and a lot of desires to pursue, and therefore end up being busier than I have minutes in the day. The solution? Cut back. On what? Work, sleep, leisure, volunteering? Where should I draw the line?

My husband is retired from the military and when he was pursuing his degree in economics we had a joke between us that went something like this - "Well, dear, if you wish to continue living in the manner in which you are accustomed, then I suggest you continue working." I have no problem with that because I'm an "A-type" personality, i.e. a work-a-holic. But what this also means is that I put 1000% into everything I do, which results in fatigue, i.e. stress. So what's a person to do?

If we want to get a handle on the stresses in our lives, we must either get better control of our lives or approach the details with a lighter heart. If we put our best foot forward in everything we do, we cannot be faulted for not trying. We should be satisfied with doing our best, and whenever possible, in finding ways to improve upon only that which needs improving. My daily inspirations calendar had a most appropriate line the other day, "If the horse is dead, get off." In other words, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Don't belabor things you can't change.

I had a friend who knew someone who used to say "I don't think about things I don't think about." I don't know if the person who said that was blonde, (!) but I do know that while this sounds like a silly statement, it is an effective stress-buster! Think about it. Most of us who experience stress in our lives are the major contributors to the very problems from which we suffer. We don't treat ourselves well. We don't get adequate exercise, fresh air, or proper diet; we don't take frequent breaks from what we are doing to get a new perspective; we work too hard and don't play hard enough.

If we would take a few minutes every few hours in our day to stretch, sing a silly song, get a drink of water or a breath of fresh air before going back to what we were doing, we'd be better off. You've heard that one, "Life's uncertain, eat dessert first"? Well, desserts are something we all enjoy, right?. If we reverse the things that cause stress, then we can enjoy "desserts" in our lives everyday!!

Robyn

email:porter@elite.net

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