Finding Balance in our lives (Part 2)
Last week, in Part 1 of Finding Balance in our lives, I discussed how many aspects of our health interact. We pondered on whether stress causes us to be out of balance or if being out of balance causes stress!
I even assigned some homework! (Hoping to not cause STRESS!)
For homework, I asked you to make a list of things which cause you stress. How did that go? (If you didn’t have an opportunity to make that list, you still can).
The second homework task . . . Which of these stressors in your life can you control?
That list may be much shorter, because we often believe stress is out of our control. But, if we carefully examine our list, there are probably some behaviors we can change that might reduce stress (and help us find balance in our daily lives).
For example–I have a member of my family that’s often late. Sometimes this causes her stress (and the rest of us, too!) When she doesn’t allow for traffic problems that might cause delays or she rushes out of the house at the last minute and forgets something important, anxiety is the result. But, she could remedy this problem by planning on leaving EARLY to allow for any situations that might cause a delay.
I’m somewhat extreme in the other direction. I’m usually early everywhere I go. Or, if I have a task to complete, I don’t want to worry about it, so I’ll start and finish early. Having a major project or job to complete causes me stress, which is relieved if I can complete the task early.
What about you? Are you a procrastinator (put things off) or are you an early bird (get it done!)? Have you ever worked with (or are married to) someone who is opposite? I’m married to a procrastinator! OUCH! I’ve had to do a lot of adapting and praying to work through that situation.
Now, let’s focus on another characteristic that helps us maintain a healthy balance in our lives.
RESILIENCE
What is resilience?
People with good emotional health have the ability to bounce back from adversity, trauma, and stress. They stay focused, flexible, and are able to maintain a positive attitude in difficult situations. This is resilience.
How do we stay resilient?
- We need to recognize our emotions and express them appropriately. This helps us avoid anxiety and depression. We all have emotions (God gave us emotions), but we have the ability to control those emotions.
- We need to have a strong support network of family and friends, people we can turn to for encouragement or for a listening ear. We need a friend, co-worker, family member, or significant other that we can feel comfortable talking with. This person doesn’t need to solve our problems, just be a good listener.
- AND, we need to take care of ourselves with a healthy life-style.
I expect you recognized that I would get back to focusing on making healthy choices. Poor Life-style choices cause us to be out of balance. This may be in the area of nutrition or physical activity. We may have poor organization (or procrastination), not getting enough sleep, or a variety of other lifestyle issues.
What can we do to help us stay in balance (physically, emotionally, mentally, vocationally, and spiritually?)
- Make healthy food choices–lots of fresh fruits and vegetables each day–choose lean protein–avoid fried foods–limit sugar and fat–avoid fast food.
- Exercise 4 to 6 days per week. Strive for 60 minutes daily (this can be in smaller increments throughout the day that total 60 or more minutes).
- Get seven or more hours of sleep each night.
- Try to be well organized and plan ahead when possible.
- Limit screen time (computer, phone, television).
- Schedule fun time with family and friends.
- Schedule alone time, meditation time, or time with God.
Staying in balance can help us have a longer, healthier, and happier life. If you have some strategies to share that have helped you maintain resilience and a balanced life, please share in the comments below.
