In A World Full Of Stress, Stop and Enjoy the Little Things

With a definite economic collapse in the works, many unemployed and on the verge of becoming homeless (if they aren’t already) and Covid-19 sitting on the steps looking for a way in, many are stressed to the point of breakdown.  Here is what I recommend to help you in these trouble times.

Stop and smell the roses:  This doesn’t necessarily mean literally find a rose bush and smell the flowers.  It means to take a walk and take a deep breath of fresh breath somewhere nice.  Enjoy your children playing and giggling if you have them.  Play with your pet. Do something that helps you relax.  I went for a walk the other day and stopped under a maple tree.  I took a deep breath as I noticed the smell it emits.  It had been so long since I noticed such a thing.

Try meditating.  Find a quiet place, close your eyes, and try to free your mind of everyday thoughts.  For me, I pray during these times.  I visualize myself laying face-first at God’s throne and as I lay out my problems and turn to worship, I picture Him gathering me in his arms like a child.  For me, this takes away the stress.

Something else I do:  I will close my eyes and picture myself in a field full of grass and wildflowers.  I envision a huge tree in the distance and a cliff that drops to the ocean on one side of me.  I picture myself dancing around in circles as the sun touches my face.  I can feel a soft breeze.  I often stay in this place until I can relax.

When you need a quick way to get rid of stress, take a deep breathe and let it out slowly several times in a row.  Count to ten as you do it.  Sigh.  It works.

Meanwhile, I hope you all can get through this.