A young woman strode with confidence around the room with a raised half-full glass of water while leading and explaining stress management for women. “I have a question,” she said. And everyone just knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, “Half empty or half full?” She fooled them. Instead she asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 8 oz to 20 oz.
She nodded. “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance.” Her audience stared at her with squinted eyes and furrowed brows.
“In each case, it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes. And that’s the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens, our fears, our worries all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on.” She set the glass down. “As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while. Take a time out, a rest, before holding it again. Then, when we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden – dealing with stress longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Be intentional about this – don’t carry them through the evening and into the night.” She then listed the 12 steps for stress management.
- Always keep your words soft and sweet just in case you have to eat them. (And, sweet words don’t have calories!)
- Always wear stuff that makes you look good. (Ya know, when you look good, you feel better.)
- If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be vague. (Sorta like sometimes generic is better than name brands.)
- If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it’s probably a good thing. (Next time, they may want to borrow $40.)
- Shop wisely. Never buy a car you can’t push. (Besides, with the extra cash, you can afford great walking shoes.)
- Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance. (People will wonder what’s your secret to enjoying life.)
- Since it’s the early bird that gets the worm, sleep late. (Wake refreshed and energized.)
- Beware! When everything’s coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane. (Learn to see the red flags before it’s too late.)
- Remember: the second mouse gets the cheese. (In other words, don’t always try to be first in line.)
- Learn to celebrate birthdays. The more you have, the longer you live. (Think of it as becoming more mature and wiser.)
- Learn a lesson from a box of crayons. Accept that some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box. (Be less critical and more complimentary.)
- Be a truly happy person – one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour. (Some of the most beautiful sites in creation are found on the detours.)
Here’s the condensed version by One who never stressed, regardless of what He faced: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
And that, my friend, is the best stress management for women!