(NU) - Sponsored News - Itsounds so simple: Relax. Let go.Just breathe.
These mantras, while sooth-ing, are difficult to embracebecause most Americans areoverworked, over-scheduled andgenerally stressed out.
The reality is that anxiety isa universal affliction affectingmillions of Americans. Andwhile most will admit to beingunder some kind of pressure --be it financial, work or familychallenges -- getting America tounplug and unload is proving tobe a difficult task.
“Many of us have a certain ap-propriate nostalgia for a quality oflife that has been lost,” Rev. DianeKessler, retired executive directorof the Massachusetts Council ofChurches, told the Boston Globein an interview. “Many of us re-member when we went to churchon Sunday morning and then hada family meal afterwards. In a 24/7society, those rhythms and thosepatterns have been lost.”
Joyce Meyer, best-selling au-thor, speaker and Bible teacher,agrees that the demands of mod-ern life can be all-consuming,making it hard to mute distractions.In her new book, OVERLOAD:How to Unplug, Unwind, and Un-leash Yourself from the Pressure ofStress, Meyer addresses this prob-lem by identifying the catalysts ofworry in your life, as well as of-fering practical, effective adviceand wisdom from a scripturalstandpoint that she believes is theanswer to curing your stress.
“Nobody is immune to stress,”Meyer says. “But through explor-ing the inspiring insights ofthe Bible and calling on God’sstrength to help you triumphover stress, you can achievethe joyful, peaceful life that isintended for you.”
Other ways that may help youregain some sense of control andgenerally decrease anxiety can be
found below:• Make your home a haven.
Your home needs to be a placewhere you go to recuperate and re-juvenate for the next day. The spaceshould be calm and harmonious.
• Take a moment. “There arethousands of ways you can relax.Whether it’s unwinding with mu-sic, reading a good book, takinga warm bath by candlelight, goingfor a walk or engaging in a sportyou enjoy, you know what relax-ation feels like and you know whenit’s happening to you,” Meyerwrites in OVERLOAD. “I strong-ly encourage you to make relax-ation a part of your daily life.”
• Use your driving time orcommuting time to calm down.This may seem like an oxymoron,but you’d be surprised at howeasy it is to disconnect from dai-ly pressures or work on the carride home. Relax by listening toan audio book or singing along toyour favorite music, and, if theweather permits, roll down thewindows and let the sun andbreeze carry your troubles away.
OVERLOAD is availablewherever books are sold or atfaithwords.com/overload.
How to UnwindBefore Your Unravel
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