This morning in my WW meeting, we learned about having better stress responses. Many people make poor choices when under stress. Maybe it has something to do with reactive brain states, or maybe it has to do with how we’ve always responded to stress. When you consider your normal stress responses that don’t serve you or others well, think about interrupting that response with something better.
But how? First, consider how you respond to stress. Then ask yourself if you are happy about this response. It is serving you well? Is it good for you? Is it good for other people? It is fueling an addiction? Then, think about other responses to stress. Instead of controlling people, resorting to rage, over-indulging in anything, or overspending (or whatever it is), bring out your list of things to do instead. Go for a walk. Eat an apple. Write in your journal. Take a bath. Clean something. Pray.
I enjoyed this lesson because it moves us out of automatic ways of living that don’t help us thrive. And it made me remember my two top stress-reliving psalms! Psalm 18 and Psalm 119 carried me through the stress of graduate school, motherhood, and career. I highlighted, “I called to the Lord in my distress. . . ” (Psalm 18:6). Calling to the Lord is our best stress response. Remembering God’s attributes, too, helps us in stress. As the wise Libby Miller of Camp Greystone told me when I was 19 years old, “Stress happens when we assume responsibility for things we aren’t responsible for. God is responsible for this.” Think of God’s power, sovereignty, goodness, and love. Libby Miller waltzed through life. She was unflappable. She was healthy, calm, and joyful. She knew the secret of a low-stress life even as she directed an entire summer camp.
We might even consider what triggers our greatest stress and prepare in advance for how we’ll handle it. For me, it’s always travel. I love to stay home. So when I travel, I think of the best ways I will respond to stress. Listening to music (Jazz for Autumn is my favorite relaxation Spotify playlist), smelling lavender, walking, reading, journaling, praying—these all help. But the best choice? Call to the Lord. He is there and will answer.