The Lord is showing me that it’s OK to attempt to avoid stress and anger triggers in my day, instead of expecting myself to be strong enough to handle them. This permission has been a huge relief to this over-achieving mamma. This all came from the clear analogy of a strained foot, and the need to splint it rather than pushing through the pain. My new strategy is to Reduce Stress by Embracing Rest.
Now, as a busy mamma, rest is often an illusive goal, the pursuit of which can become an anger-inducing failure itself. But the Lord has been showing me that many of the triggers that bring me to a boiling point have nothing to do with the pace of life, and much, much more to do with my state of mind.
It is in my mind that I am most often fatigued to the point of fracture, and that is because I too-often jump on a mental treadmill and run my spirit ragged just by my thoughts and mental patterns.
- When I choose to worry over a problem, it wearies my spirit, leaving me ready to splinter when one more stress pops up in my day.
- When I let fear of man sneak into my heart again, it eats away at me until I have no reserve left for a small infraction with my kids.
- When I try to be all the way there for the insatiable appetite of Social Media while trying to be all the way there for my kids, I stretch myself so thin, I snap at that tiniest added pressure.
And so, I have chosen to splint my soul this month by choosing to do less rather than more.
Less social media. Since my fast in May, I’ve been visiting Facebook fewer days in the week, and no longer requiring myself to have the active presence on various platforms that bloggers are taught to maintain. In breaking many blogging rules, I’m finding the writer and mamma I always wanted to be. I’ve weaned myself from the habit of sharing every great photo or witty status, taking those moments of beauty simply as gifts from my Father, without the burden of disseminating them to the world wide web.
Less anxiety. As a preggo mamma, I have to eat a lot. I always have a plan in place for my next meal. The other day, other’s schedules thwarted my plans and I was faced with a choice: stew all day, worrying about what to do for dinner, or experiment with trusting practical details to a Heavenly Father. Guess what? He not only provided a dinner I didn’t have to cook, but sustained my blood sugar until the late hour it was served. Hmm. Maybe God IS big enough that I don’t have to worry about small details?
Less Fear of Man. Although I experienced a huge deliverance from this main trigger in freedom from my Anxiety Disorder 6 years ago (wow! It’s been 6 years!? Praise God for freedom!) I still trip up in this area occasionally, taking on the burden of making sure everyone around me understands my motives and approves of my actions, appearance, and that of my kids. Just typing that out makes me realize how big of a burden that is, and how ridiculous it is for me to try to carry it. I go back to the truth that my worth is not in what I do, but in Whose I am.
Though I may not be able to quit doing laundry, or take a week’s vacation from chasing a 6, 4, and 2 year old, I praise God He has shown me these areas that I can take some weight off mentally, and avoid pushing myself to the point of fracture.
You can find all of my posts about my journey to freedom from anger here.
Are you like me? Are their burdens you don’t absolutely have to be carrying that are wearing you down? How do you plan a more peaceful path on the days you know you need extra room to breath?
Trina, I happened upon your site tonight. I had intended to “skim” through. Well girl, I have stayed long enough to want to return and read more. (I thought that as a writer, you might appreciate hearing that!)
I wish I could trace the history of my evening personal research.
I will be Pinning you later. Glad to meet you.
Thank you for this, friend. Your honesty never ceases to inspire me… <3
Yeah! I love these posts where you are real and true. You are inspiring and lift my spirit. Thank you for your honesty and candidness.
Oh, Suzanne- thanks for your sweet comment and for stopping by!
Oh, I absolutely can relate to this; especially when you said that it usually has nothing to do with the pace of your life, but it’s a matter to teaching our minds to rest in The Lord. We learn this and we can remain steadfast, no matter how busy our lives may get.
Thank you for sharing your struggle with anger. I know I struggle far more than I’d care to admit, but your words have caused me to become more aware of how often I lash out at my family.
I love this–recognizing triggers. It is definitely low blood sugar for me, and this mama is not currently preggers! Social media, too. I agree. It is a swamp of posts and pics and the like. I get toooo wrapped up. Great post!
I love this: “Reduce Stress by Embracing Rest.” So catchy and easy to say but so hard to do, huh? I really need to be in prayer more about not judging my self-worth by how much of my to-do list I accomplish each day. Because with little kids – and homeschooling older ones – it just doesn’t happen much. I know I have too many priorities and projects and I-really-want-to-dos – and that the only way to accomplish them – IN THIS SEASON OF LIFE – is to stop sleeping. Sigh. It’s is just soooo hard to let go of things until later.
Praying for you, Lisa. Understanding our worth in Christ is crucial to internal and external rest! We will never think we have done ‘enough’ as long as we think it’s all about what we get done. *preaching to the choir*
What a great blog, and yes, I am right there with you…
Hi, Maggie! Thanks for stopping by and your sweet comment!
Good for you for listening to God’s prompting to choose his rest over other things. I so appreciate these words.
“I’ve weaned myself from the habit of sharing every great photo or witty status, taking those moments of beauty simply as gifts from my Father, without the burden of disseminating them to the world wide web.”
Letting them just be gifts between you and God is a great perspective. Thanks!
It’s been quite the journey to find rest in this spot, Lindsay. There was a time when I was equally convinced that sharing the beauty in my day was a way to multiply the joy and celebrate more fully. And maybe it was just what I was supposed to do in that season. But in this season, the whisper I hear is to “Rest”.
I too have been taking a step back from Facebook. I’m a blogger too and it’s difficult to keep social media at bay when you think you need to always to be on it in order to be successful. I have considered going off completely, but I think I’m going to try to be more disciplined in my use. After all the problem is with me and not Facebook. Love you blog by the way. 🙂
Thanks for your comment, Noel!
I’ve been praying a lot about my social media addiction. (yes, I call it that. No, I don’t spend hours and hours a day, but I DO spend too much, and DO lack self discipline and I want to call my sin what it is). What I’ve been contemplating lately is that I have been trying to ‘manage’ my addiction, instead of treating it as what it is: an idol. My blog does not require me to be on social media to be successful. (I have stats to prove this!) It is my own desires that draw me back over and over. Realizing this has me reanalyzing a lot about my online presence, and, like I said, praying daily.