My Secret

The other day someone who I haven’t seen for a while made a comment upon seeing me walk down the street. She stated that I looked a little thinner and asked what my secret was to losing weight. Without hesitation I responded with, “Stress!” Although I was trying to be funny, it had been a rather stressful few weeks leading up to this encounter. I had been called by the family doctor to my mother’s bedside only days before (she has since recovered) and add to that the uncertainty of the current economy on my small business and it gets a little hairy and scary. I actually have used running as a stress reliever in the past, but I have other ways of dealing with it. Since becoming a Christian I have found a great deal of peace. Part of it comes from prayer and some of it from the comfort of knowing I can’t control everything and that I’m better off relaxed than taxed. I also have noticed my eating happens change when I’m stressed. Many people will binge eat or just eat the wrong things. Typically I lose my appetite. I’ll force myself to eat, if I have to, and am trying to be more cautious about what it is I eat when stressed. The best thing to do it just try not to get overwhelmed by the day-to-day stresses and get through each day. It’s such a simple guideline and it actually does help. Sweet Roast refers to me as a ‘flatliner’ a reference to my even temper and stable emotions. I have discovered it is often far greater to respond to situations in a calm and relaxed manner rather than run on emotions. There’s no doubt in my mind I am probably dealing with various levels of stress daily, but I have found simple ways for dealing with it. It’s not an easy thing to do, but with time you’ll get better and better at it.