The Perfect Storm
You may have seen the movie from about 2000 called "The Perfect Storm". It is the story of a fishing crew who got caught out on the ocean in the convergence of three catastrophic storms. In the movie, the ship went down and the crew perished. Not the happy ending we wanted to see, but since it was based on a true story, this is how it had to end.
Since then the term "perfect storm" has become commonly used to describe a time when unrelated things were piling up on someone, creating a set of adverse circumstances to work through, in other words a worst case scenario. Happily we usually survive, but it gets tough to ride out the storm in the meantime.
This past few weeks has been my perfect storm....office remodel in progress, tax deadline along with the accompanying work load, family events that have taken us out of town on weekends, and a health crisis that was likely caused from the lack of sleep and too much stress but also added to the lack of sleep and stress levels. I would like to be able to say that I woke up each morning praising Jesus for another beautiful day, whistled while I worked and kept a smile on my face, but you all know that's not how I operate! I grumbled and complained just like I always do, threw a daily pity party about the inconveniences in my life, and generally made Mike glad when I went off to work with my poor attitude and made my co-workers glad when I finally declared a day off for myself!
I am assuming I am not the only one who has these times when life is dumping stuff on them, when responsibilities seem overwhelming and problems are coming faster than we can solve them. So, mostly to remind myself but also to help others, I have a few things I have found that helps to cope with the storms in life:
1. Begin each morning with prayer. I know that sounds "religious" and trite, but it's the best advice I have. It just plain helps everything. It calms my mind and helps me to realize that it's not all up to me, God is there to help. It helps the problems seem smaller and more manageable. It sometimes even provides some inspiration for dealing with the concerns of the day. It's been said before but it bears saying again, "God is bigger than any problem we have." Having said all this and made myself to look like the perfect example of Christian coping, I have to admit that this is often overlooked and turned to when I have finally arrived at the end of myself. It seems this is a lesson I have to keep learning over and over...take it to God before I get into such a mess that it takes Him more time to straighten it out after I have made a mess of things, and before I have to make apologies. This first item could make more difference than any of us know!
2. Take a shower, style your hair and put on something you enjoy wearing. Maybe guys don't get as much of a boost out of that as gals, but it sure puts me in a better frame of mind when I feel clean and know I look good (or at least better than when I haven't shower, styled and dressed up). Along with this, it also helps to put on a smile. I don't know if this is scientifically proven or not, but smiling seems to cheer a person up. Not sure exactly how that works, but believe me, it does!
3. Declare a mini-vacation. I usually declare a day off from work, especially if that is where the stress is coming from. I sleep in a bit later and sit in my pj's for a bit longer in the morning while I sip my morning coffee. When I finally get motivated, I do something I want to do which is probably not laundry or housework. Actually my current favorite thing to do is to go to the wood shop with Mike and let my creative juices flow. I try to make my vacation day a Friday so that I can have a 3-day weekend to regroup and forget the stresses of life for 3 whole days. I can't be sure of this but I suspect that my co-workers enjoy their Fridays more when I am enjoying my Friday more.
4. While this is excellent advice, it isn't something I usually do...exercise. Take a walk or a hike to somewhere. Jump on that exercise bike or the Bow-flex or whatever you do for exercise and run off some energy. We ordered a set of CD's to teach us yoga moves, but so far we've only watched part of one and vowed to get started...someday! We also ordered yoga mats which might come in handy for something, someday!
5. Soak in a tub of warm water with a few drops of your favorite relaxing essential oil mixed with a couple cups of Epsom salt. While the warm water makes me feel relaxed by itself, the effects of essential oils are nothing less than miraculous. I know, I know, it sounds all new-agey and witch crafty, but essential oils were the medicines of ancient times, before pharmaceuticals. Don't get me wrong, I take plenty of modern medicines and am thankful for them, but the current state of affairs where health care is concerned has me concerned about the eventual availability or affordability of said meds. And if I can avoid filling a new prescription or helping myself feel better with a few drops of an essential oil, this will make me happy.
6. Develop a sense of humor. Surely, in each problem of life, there is something funny to be found. And if I will look for, and some days I have to look high and low, I am always blessed with a chuckle. Sometimes it's just the irony of the situation that merits a giggle.
7. And finally, the one I NEVER do: Develop an attitude of gratitude. If work is where the problems lie, I need to be thankful I have a job. If the house is a mess and I can't keep up, I need to be thankful that I have a home and someone living with me to help mess it up. If we are off and running for the 4th straight weekend, I need to be thankful we have family and friends to spend the time with. I spend a lot of time complaining about health issues, but it only takes a moment of thought to realize that others suffer much more than my little piddly complaints. All of us could spend hours upon hours listing the blessings in our lives, and yet we (and especially me) can only see the problems and short-comings in our lives. If God actually gave me the life I think I have, I might truly have something to complain about...and I hope He never does that!
If anyone has a tip for coping with tough times, I am all ears. I certainly don't have all the answers in this area. I never even addressed the importance of eating right, but I don't really know much to share in this department. My habit is to junk out on chocolate and Diet Coke when the going gets rough, and I'm pretty sure I am only causing myself more grief by doing so. And getting a good night's sleep...if anyone has advice I'm listening. I could probably read your response at 2:00 AM while I am wandering around wishing I could sleep!
Managing life around a stressful and overworked schedule is a continual learning curve. But I am convinced it's one I need to conquer. And I'm probably in good company! We only have one life to live on this earth and we need to make it the best we can, for our own good and the good of those who have to live near us.
So here's to living well, even in the perfect storms of life!
Since then the term "perfect storm" has become commonly used to describe a time when unrelated things were piling up on someone, creating a set of adverse circumstances to work through, in other words a worst case scenario. Happily we usually survive, but it gets tough to ride out the storm in the meantime.
This past few weeks has been my perfect storm....office remodel in progress, tax deadline along with the accompanying work load, family events that have taken us out of town on weekends, and a health crisis that was likely caused from the lack of sleep and too much stress but also added to the lack of sleep and stress levels. I would like to be able to say that I woke up each morning praising Jesus for another beautiful day, whistled while I worked and kept a smile on my face, but you all know that's not how I operate! I grumbled and complained just like I always do, threw a daily pity party about the inconveniences in my life, and generally made Mike glad when I went off to work with my poor attitude and made my co-workers glad when I finally declared a day off for myself!
I am assuming I am not the only one who has these times when life is dumping stuff on them, when responsibilities seem overwhelming and problems are coming faster than we can solve them. So, mostly to remind myself but also to help others, I have a few things I have found that helps to cope with the storms in life:
1. Begin each morning with prayer. I know that sounds "religious" and trite, but it's the best advice I have. It just plain helps everything. It calms my mind and helps me to realize that it's not all up to me, God is there to help. It helps the problems seem smaller and more manageable. It sometimes even provides some inspiration for dealing with the concerns of the day. It's been said before but it bears saying again, "God is bigger than any problem we have." Having said all this and made myself to look like the perfect example of Christian coping, I have to admit that this is often overlooked and turned to when I have finally arrived at the end of myself. It seems this is a lesson I have to keep learning over and over...take it to God before I get into such a mess that it takes Him more time to straighten it out after I have made a mess of things, and before I have to make apologies. This first item could make more difference than any of us know!
2. Take a shower, style your hair and put on something you enjoy wearing. Maybe guys don't get as much of a boost out of that as gals, but it sure puts me in a better frame of mind when I feel clean and know I look good (or at least better than when I haven't shower, styled and dressed up). Along with this, it also helps to put on a smile. I don't know if this is scientifically proven or not, but smiling seems to cheer a person up. Not sure exactly how that works, but believe me, it does!
3. Declare a mini-vacation. I usually declare a day off from work, especially if that is where the stress is coming from. I sleep in a bit later and sit in my pj's for a bit longer in the morning while I sip my morning coffee. When I finally get motivated, I do something I want to do which is probably not laundry or housework. Actually my current favorite thing to do is to go to the wood shop with Mike and let my creative juices flow. I try to make my vacation day a Friday so that I can have a 3-day weekend to regroup and forget the stresses of life for 3 whole days. I can't be sure of this but I suspect that my co-workers enjoy their Fridays more when I am enjoying my Friday more.
4. While this is excellent advice, it isn't something I usually do...exercise. Take a walk or a hike to somewhere. Jump on that exercise bike or the Bow-flex or whatever you do for exercise and run off some energy. We ordered a set of CD's to teach us yoga moves, but so far we've only watched part of one and vowed to get started...someday! We also ordered yoga mats which might come in handy for something, someday!
5. Soak in a tub of warm water with a few drops of your favorite relaxing essential oil mixed with a couple cups of Epsom salt. While the warm water makes me feel relaxed by itself, the effects of essential oils are nothing less than miraculous. I know, I know, it sounds all new-agey and witch crafty, but essential oils were the medicines of ancient times, before pharmaceuticals. Don't get me wrong, I take plenty of modern medicines and am thankful for them, but the current state of affairs where health care is concerned has me concerned about the eventual availability or affordability of said meds. And if I can avoid filling a new prescription or helping myself feel better with a few drops of an essential oil, this will make me happy.
6. Develop a sense of humor. Surely, in each problem of life, there is something funny to be found. And if I will look for, and some days I have to look high and low, I am always blessed with a chuckle. Sometimes it's just the irony of the situation that merits a giggle.
7. And finally, the one I NEVER do: Develop an attitude of gratitude. If work is where the problems lie, I need to be thankful I have a job. If the house is a mess and I can't keep up, I need to be thankful that I have a home and someone living with me to help mess it up. If we are off and running for the 4th straight weekend, I need to be thankful we have family and friends to spend the time with. I spend a lot of time complaining about health issues, but it only takes a moment of thought to realize that others suffer much more than my little piddly complaints. All of us could spend hours upon hours listing the blessings in our lives, and yet we (and especially me) can only see the problems and short-comings in our lives. If God actually gave me the life I think I have, I might truly have something to complain about...and I hope He never does that!
If anyone has a tip for coping with tough times, I am all ears. I certainly don't have all the answers in this area. I never even addressed the importance of eating right, but I don't really know much to share in this department. My habit is to junk out on chocolate and Diet Coke when the going gets rough, and I'm pretty sure I am only causing myself more grief by doing so. And getting a good night's sleep...if anyone has advice I'm listening. I could probably read your response at 2:00 AM while I am wandering around wishing I could sleep!
Managing life around a stressful and overworked schedule is a continual learning curve. But I am convinced it's one I need to conquer. And I'm probably in good company! We only have one life to live on this earth and we need to make it the best we can, for our own good and the good of those who have to live near us.
So here's to living well, even in the perfect storms of life!
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