Are You Overwhelmed with Stress & Anxiety!
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Be Still & Know That I Am God
You may find it somewhat difficult to keep balance in your life and sometimes feel overwhelmed with its demands. Perhaps you have a crazy schedule and lots of responsibilities to manage, so your time is limited. Taking time for yourself may seem like a dream that is not quite in your current reality. Even taking as little as 30 minutes per day to be still and dwell in God’s presence can work wonders in your life on all levels: mentally, spiritually, and physically. Having a variety of go-to meditations that are easily accessible, can help you keep this important commitment to yourself. Christian meditation can act as a reset button to help you turn your stress level back to zero each and every day.
Maybe you are on the verge of a complete breakdown or exhaustion? You may even be wondering how you’re going to cope and keep up with the pace you’ve created for yourself. If your life is filled with constant activity with no down time, you’re living in a state of flight or fight, which, if it hasn’t already, will began to impact your physical health.
It is imperative that you incorporate some times of peace, solitude, stillness, and calmness in your life to activate your parasympathetic nervous system and reduce cortisol levels affecting your adrenals. With your limited time, having a variety of Christian meditations readily available can help you include times of much need R and R. All you need is 15-20 minutes a day to change your life. Just that little bit will begin to affect all areas of your life and little by little will help you to make changes that will bring you more life satisfaction.
Walking Meditation to Eliminate Stress
“I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” Did you know that almost 90% of illnesses are exacerbated by stress? Today, many physicians are now encouraging some form of meditation. The list of the positive physical benefits of meditation just keep growing. It lowers blood pressure, reduces pain and inflammation, and helps with memory, to name just a few.
If your stress is related to negative thoughts, then also consider some of the methods stated in the section about restoring peace of mind.Some great options for those who want to reduce stress is to do a walking meditation. With a walking meditation you get the benefits of both exercise and meditation. A walking meditation is very simple. Pick an area you’d like to walk. A pretty place or around the block is ideal. Proceed by walking very slowly and as you do stay completely in the presence moment by focusing on tangible things around you, like flowers, trees, or the side walk. You can even meditate on a sacred phrase like “Christ is my peace” as you walk. The key is that every time your mind wanders off, bring it back to the present moment by returning your focus to the here and now. You will be surprised at how many times your mind is going to wander off like a dog on a long leash. Just like training a dog to heel, you’ll need to continue to yank your mind back into the present moment.
Strategies to Reduce Stress & Anxiety
- Detach from Fear-Based Thinking that can create stress and anxiety. Through meditation and mindfulness, you become an observer, instead of a participant of your thoughts. Notice them with gentle detachment or attaching meaning to them. Just because you think it, doesn’t make it so.
- Pause- Worry can create stress. When overcome by worry (fear in disguise), pause, breathe deeply, count to 10, and consciously turn every care over to God.
- Establish a Daily Meditation Practice– Regular meditation has been proven to reduce stress and create inner calm. Consider how you can incorporate meditation as a daily balm to purify your mind and heart, each and every day.
- Spend Time in Silence and Nature- Take time throughout your week to dwell in silence or spend time in nature. Both of these practices help to balance the body and supports our parasympathetic nervous system that activates a relaxation response in the body
- Take a Mindfulness Break- Take 5 Minutes with God Meditation breaks at scheduled times during your day. You can even schedule these in your phone. Mini-breaks of mindfulness can help to reset your thinking and put your focus back on God and the present moment.
- Get Moving- Incorporate yoga or other exercise throughout the week as an outlet for stress. We hold our issues in our tissues. Exercises with mindfulness, like yoga, helps us to identify our stressors, where we hold them in the body, and through deep breathing and detoxifying poses, release them. Here is a link to my 10-Day Christian Yoga Challenge for Stress and Anxiety.
- Create a Minimalist Lifestyle- Stress can also be heightened due to compacted schedules and busyness. Take an inventory of your week and daily tasks, then decide what you can keep, tweek, or dump.
Ready to Reduce Stress & Anxiety?
Many people believe that if they just get quiet and close their eyes, they are meditating; however, their bodies may be still, but their minds are all over the place. This is when many Christians give up and miss out on the benefits of this transformative practice. Want to start a Christian meditation practice to reduce stress and anxiety?