MAKING STRESS A POSITIVE

With school starting, and everyone's activities and sports starting back up, I've found that this time of year can be crazy stressful. Like come home and have several mental breakdowns after the first day stressful. Trust me, I've been there (this week..).

On Thursday night, after a few hours of totally freaking out about school supplies and the dance team, my dad could tell I was little stressed. He called me downstairs and showed me a Ted Talk. I know.. at first you're like "what is this supposed to do for me??" I was too. But hear me out, because this video completely changed my perspective on stress.

If you want to watch it (WATCH IT) I'll link it here.

She basically says, that through all these studies, they've found that all the negative effects that stress has on your body, are eliminated if you simply don't view stress as the enemy. She talks about how when your heart is racing and you feel sick, you should tell yourself it is just your body preparing you to take on the task you're worried about. By making stress a positive thing in your mind, it is no longer such a bad thing for your body. 

I really thought about this the next day, and it honestly changed my entire perspective. When my heart starting pounding as I rounded the corner to walk into a class where I didn't know anyone, I took a deep breath and told myself that it just meant I was ready to do this.

When my stomachs sank and my hands began to sweat as I stretched for my dance tryout, I told myself the adrenaline would help make me do my best. Its all how you look at it.

Any time I'm stressed out, my parents have always told me that it just means I care. If wasn't nervous to take big tests, or perform on a football field, it would most likely mean it wasn't important to me. Stress is completely normal, it shows how hard you're trying.

Now if you know me at all, I'm sure you've heard the name "Jess Conte" at least once in your life. If you haven't, check out her videos here, she's an actual angel. Anyways, that's not the point. The point is, she says she "doesn't believe in stress." The first time she said this I was like ??? how do you not believe in stress?? but once she explained it, I actually liked the way she views it. She doesn't like to use the word "stress." She says she gets "overwhelmed." This might not seem different at all to you, but to me, stress is when your heart is racing and you're sweating and you're in a high pressure situation. I think being overwhelmed is when you have a lot going on, or a lot to get done. I have found that if I use the word overwhelmed to describe how I feel when I'm extremely busy, It helps me to breathe and realize that it is going to be okay. Its just homework, or a sport, or whatever it may be. You have the ability to get it done. Freaking out is only going to make it harder.

I read a quote on pinterest the other the day (surprise, surprise) and it made me jaw drop. I don't remember exactly what it said and I wish I could find it again, but it was something along the lines of, "if your trials are making you turn to God, then maybe they're doing their job." or SOMETHING like that. And I just thought.. wow. God could be putting the stressful experience in my life, so I'll pray about it and become closer to Him through it. Right before your big test, or first day of school just say a quick prayer asking God to be with you through it. Those moments, continue to grow my relationship with the Lord every single day.

I really like using all my little things that make me happy to calm down as well. In stressful situations, those happy playlists and cute wallpapers really come in handy. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, keep scrolling and you can read about it in my last post:) (plugplugplugplugplug)

Now don't get me wrong, I definitely have my moments. We all do, we're all human. Its okay to feel sad or overwhelmed or nervous, those are HUMAN EMOTIONS. We have to allow ourselves to have our moments of weakness, in order to have our moments of strength.

Just within the past few days, these few things to have helped me view stress as not such a terrible thing. I've really realized that stress can be good for you, if you decide that it is. I hope that we can continue to grow together as we overcome our struggles.

KEEP GOING, I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT:)

thank you thank you thank you for reading!!

have a blessed week

xoxo, em

ps. little blog makeover, how are we liking it?

"When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I" Psalm 61:2