Sandwiched
I know I’ve shared tips in the past in this column about how to handle worry and stress. I’m blessed to have many tools in my “arsenal” to battle both thanks to my years of teaching the Dale Carnegie Course.
However, the last couple of weeks have made even me feel despair. Our national and local news seems to be the worst it’s been in years. Many of my friends have lost loved ones or been battling mysterious illnesses lately. Add in my constant concerns over Mom and my “worry shelf” is just about to cave in with all I’ve piled on top of it lately.
But a thoughtful Christmas gift has helped me.
My son Jonathon’s girlfriend, Maddie, gave me a beautiful journal Christmas Eve. She had the cover embroidered with “The Thoughts of Amy Shankland.” I was thrilled, especially since I’ve gotten out of the habit of writing in a gratitude journal, something I loved years ago.
I started jotting down the things I was grateful for each day at bedtime. This alone helps with worry and stress. Studies have shown that expressing gratitude can improve your mood, physical health, social bonds, and help you be more optimistic.
One of my favorite ways to start the day is to count my blessings before I get out of bed. It typically sets the stage for a positive day. While I’ve continued with these habits, they still weren’t helping my heart and soul with all that’s been hitting me lately. So I’ve turned my journal into a gratitude/worry one.
Studies also show that taking some time to write out your worries helps on many levels. For me, it’s another way to give my troubles to God.
Writing down your worries helps them “get out of your way” so you can (hopefully!) go to sleep or complete tasks more easily. It essentially kicks that anxiety and stress out of your brain.
I can’t say that I feel like all is right with the world every night when I do this. But I do feel more of a sense of peace after I write down all of my worries. I can literally picture me handing the list to God asking Him to help. After all, He always does a much better job than any of us can.
In these crazy times, I encourage you to grab a pen and write down your struggles. You don’t need anything fancy, a simple notebook will do (although I love my journal, thank you, Maddie!). I can almost guarantee you it will help.