Monday MOrning Madness ~ For some anyway... Called Stress

Bucket Sittin

Best way to just chill I'm thinkin!

Monday morning... I swear I hear the sounds of Mother's laughing across the winds as kiddies go back to school... and it's Monday, the stress for a new week is building, you can feel it in the air! No need to mention the dampness here... rain, did I mention the rain???

I think I can also hear those dreaded school buses humming on the roads too ~

NEW beginnings, new school year, new football season, new new new week ~Stress

TIME TO: DANCE ON DESKS, LAUGH, GIGGLE AND OTHERWISE MAKE YOURSELF JUST GIDDY WITH THE IDEA... It's a new week ~STRESS

Let’s talk about how we make ourselves crazy. Let’s face it, there are everyday stressors in everyone’s life. It’s the natural state of the world to be forced to cope with stress as we move through our day.
OK, but what about all the self-inflicted stress we welcome into our lives? Do you go to bed at night still wrestling with the stress not dealt with today. Toss and turn, wake up a thousand times your head spinning? Twitching with dread, anticipating tomorrow’s pressures? Oh yeah, does that resonate? Yep, you're feelin me, I can tell... it's the energy...


Sure recipe for waking up less able to cope.
 So, we start the day worn out from a sleepless, or near sleepless night, and expect ourselves to be ready for a peak performance in this day. This is crazy making at it’s finest. So how do we get off the merry-go-round of stress?
STOMP.

Say no.
No to bringing home work stress.
 Say no to the demands others inflict on our time.
 Stop making ourselves so busy that we can’t possibly ever catch up.
 Does all the worry about what we have not yet done produce results? Nope.
Does taking on too many tasks allow us to face a well organized day?
Does trying to squeeze in quality time to enjoy our life fix the problem? Or is the problem that we are not realistic about how much one should reasonably try to do in any one day?
 By taking on more and more things to do, and running ourselves ragged trying to do it all and be it all is crazy making.

I’d personally rather do one thing well than swat at fifty things and have to redo each because I never could stop spinning and stressing about all the things still on my list of “to dos”. There is an easy answer. Say NO. Sorry, my plate is full. Just can’t take on one more thing until I catch up. I often say “ Thank you for thinking of me for this opportunity, but I know that I can’t give this: project, task, chore, etc the attention it deserves”. Would love to join you for; that meeting, dinner, community project, dance recital, etc. but I have a full plate. Perhaps a rain check. Glad you asked, but, sorry, I can’t participate. Try it. Trust me, you will have other opportunities. Just stop and clear the deck.

Lists work for me. I make a list of EVERYTHING that is jammed in my head, every, and I mean EVERY thing I think I have to do, want to do, meant to do, must do, think I ought to do. Then, and here’s the trick. Highlight the one’s that are deal breakers. The ones that would cost you your job or your life, or your well being if you did not tackle them today.

Next, put them to order.
What MUST be done first?
How many are longer term efforts that you must spend some time on over time. Are that you just have to do right this very moment? If so do it.

Good, now that one is off the list. The long term ones you are already working on. Draw a line through the ones that you really don’t have to do.

The ones that jump on the list because you let them. Like, Oh, I don’t know, let’s say, the Sunday paper laying around until Thursday because you didn’t have time to read it. Toss it in the trash. Gone. Now you’re getting in the spirit.
 The two million emails that have been haunting you for months. Just because someone sent it to you, there is no rule that says you must attend to each and every one. Hit the delete button. Gone. Ah, that was easy.

Trust me, if you deleted an important one, someone will resend it.

So, now, already the list is much shorter.

NEXT… What is on the list that you don’t even want to do? What petty obligatory junk did you list that will only cause you aggravation?
Scratch it out. Do you really want more irritation in your life. Did you forget the “Say No” rule? Stop agreeing to do things and go places, that don’t work for you.

Now your list should look a lot more reasonable. Much more “do able”. If anything is still on the list that is busy work, dump it. Good Job! See anything else on there that you now would enjoy crossing off just because you can? DO IT.

 So tell the truth, are you a bit less stressed already? You should be. The really important stuff will find it’s way back on the next list you make. Trust me on this.

Make tomorrows list today.
Then when you go to bed tonight, tomorrow is already organized and manageable. You need not spend your sleeping hours twisting it all around, considering getting up in the middle of the night to worry.

Take back your personal power. Lead your life, don’t be a victim to self-made stress.

Now for the stressful stuff that is out there everyday no matter what we do. Let’s say, too many phone calls. Ever hear of voice mail. Let the machine take the calls. You can check it once or twice a day and return the calls you want to.
 You DO NOT have to answer every call.
 Let’s face it, if YOU had wanted to talk to the caller, you would have called them.
You do not have to call someone everyday... they know you care, they know you love them...
 LIVE your life!
Easier to manage your time if you have fewer interruptions.

Traffic stress you out?
 Why? Do you really think that getting all worked up while sitting in a traffic jam helps you in any way?
 Leave a bit earlier, take a different route, or kick back, crawl along as best you can and listen to a good book on the car sound system, crank up the tunes, sing along.
 I’ve had days where I prayed for a longer commute because I was really engrossed in a book on tape or just rockin out and singin my song.
Works for me.
 My blood pressure never goes up because the other drivers are nuts. I love the no pressure zone that I choose to stay in and my happy place ~
I have no space in my head for that foolishness.
There are idiots on the road, always have been always will be.
 I just watch out and avoid them best I can.
I could go down this path a long way my friends.
But I will close with a quick review.

First decide how much stress you want in your life. Some folks thrive on stress.. actually like it... accept that fact.

Second, de-stress your life in big and small ways, always. STOMP.

Third, accept that some stress is a natural consequence of being alive.

Fourth, Say NO more often. It is all about choices.
Fifth, instead of making yourself crazy, laugh at how crazy it can get.

And Lastly, know that you are in charge of the quality of your life.
STOMP.

The fire is burning brightly with thoughts on the wind to all who gather here... We are together in thoughts and prayers ... Sending hope in healing on the winds to all who gather here and hugs on the gentle breezes to my kola, Kelly Two Wolves in Custer SD this morning...

To those who are serving this great Nation, I thank you and your families, I want you home safely.

We are together in prayer, in thoughts of all that is needed to remind you out there, we are WARRIORS...

"that which is to provide light must endure burning"
 {V. Frankl}

We are always alongside the journey with you, along with some powerful angels... May you find comfort in knowing we are with you always: for that I give thanks, and so it is!
FOR:Tampa, our Mayor Iorio, Chief Jane Castor, Tampa PD, all who serve:
Tink..and Mitch, Jerry, Trish, Barb, Anastasia, Mary, Rylee, The Kocab Family, baby Lilly Nicole Kocab, The Curtis Family, Tarpon PD, those serving here and there in Uniform...
Mylee, Mikey and family in DC, Jack M in OC, Stephen,

Stuart Wittel in Pakistan and his parents,

Lavie Coltrane and her loving family, Pat in Southwest VA, Andrea Gasse and family here and in New England, Ali and family, Randy and Winnie in New Mexico, Irene M,
Bernice, Eileen and family,

Dorothy, Angela, Elijah, Ode, Linda M, "Southwest VA",

Vicki, Matthew and family, Chris, Lovie, Our new adopted family in BRAZIL,

Our Black American Bears Lily and HOPE, their spunky spirit, Jill, the folks at the NABC, Joseph, Cathy Madden and her family., Cindy in NC (REMISSION), Cindy, Liz, Lee, Molly, Joanie, Jude, COFA,Judi, Matthew, Natalia, Matt, Mark's family and many friends , Pat, Irene, Kevin, Dr D, Deb, Randy, Dr B , Charlie and family, Jean, Julie, Rhonda, Victoria, Mildred, Andi and family, Faith, Denise, Jim, Tom, Joey, Shelby friends and family, Judi, Phylis, Joyce, Gina, Tonya, Beverly and Family, Janeth, Melissa, Pam, Virginia, Stacey, Elizabeth, Nita, Gary Siegal, Adrienna,Brian Mawbey, the Boyan Family, Jean R and friend Christy Rider, Victoria and hubbie, Stephen, Gayle, Steph, Chris, Erica, Eileen, John, Mindy, Jack, Susan Werth Becken, her brother Mike and family, Craig James Lightfoot and his family, Kenny, Audrey,

and ... (please feel free to let me know if you would like to add your/or a friends name to our list)

Please hold the friends and family of these people in your hearts and prayers ~

Just because you have the power and choose to to join with us there are some powerful warriors on this page and in the next place along with some awesome angels ~ together we have banded together with the energy, love and support to facilitate healing and hope for so many along their journey... and for that you should feel pride and great love in connection ~


That is the HOPE in Healing Heartaches ~

Walk In Beauty,
DRSES
Healing Heartaches, Stories of Loss and Life
http://www.drsherryeshowalter.com/