In Other Words With Dave – July 2020
What do you do when you are stressed out? Personally, I have some good “go to” behaviors and some not so good ones. Work stress, parenting teens stress, caretaking aging parents stress, nightly news stress… how do we deal with it?
I’ve heard it said, prayer is talking to God and meditation is listening. So what fills the space before, between or after prayer and meditation? For me, it’s affirmation. I find repeating a set of affirmations to be centering. Sure, I don’t always go there first, sometimes I turn to other behaviors like eating, watching shows, scrolling, or obsessively working. It is probably better for me to surrender to the quiet place first.
30 years ago, someone shared with me three simple affirmations:
- I am open to the abundance of the universe.
- Golden opportunities are everywhere for me.
- All my needs are being met in God’s good order.
For me, these simple sentences pulled me through so many tough times. I’ve repeated those sentences to myself in the middle of the night when my thoughts attacked me. I’ve said those phrases out loud on my morning walks. Over and over, like a mantra. I may not even take in the meaning of the words, but they actually self soothe me.
Hopefully you have tools, faith and beliefs that get you through times when you need to be lifted up.
Even if you don’t believe in using affirmations, pause when you’re stressed before taking action or speaking – it’ll help you focus, or even better, it will make you appear wise.
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