BY SANMI FALOBI.
There are so many things that stress us and worry us. Though there are issues to deal with, but our approach to the stressors matter.
.. A short story.
There’s this story about a consultant lecturer who confidently walked around in front of a class of post-graduate students with a large half-filled bottle of water. It was the lecturer’s first time before this set of matured audience and so a good impression had to be made.
Everyone knew and expected that the lecturer was going to ask the supposed question: ‘is this half empty or half full?’….. The consultant however asked something else. “How heavy is this bottle of water?” The consultant inquired with a smile.”50cl, 70cl, 80cl” came the chorus of answers.
“It doesn’t really matter what your answer is. I can’t even say how heavy it is now, except I measure it, so it’s about your perception. How heavy it is will depend on how long I hold it. You don’t know how heavy it is, because you are not the one holding it. If I hold it for a few more minutes, it may not be much of a burden but If I hold it for a longer time, say an hour, it may ache my arm. If I hold it for a day, it will be a burden carrying it all around”, the lecturer explained. This is how it is with managing stress and worries. If we allow unpleasant issues get to us more than necessary, it becomes increasingly heavy, and becomes a burden that affects us negatively.
What are you carrying all about that is stressing your life out?
What problem or issues are you holding tight to, that is affecting your viewpoint for a positive and brighter life ahead?This is not about denying that there are issues to be worried about, it is about not allowing the issues to be an issue with you.
Don’t let worry rob you of your peace of mind. Don’t carry your burdens from the morning, to the afternoon, through to the evening and then till night time.Drop the stressors off in the morning and enjoy the brightness of the sun for the day.
Each day has its burdens so you don’t need to add up yesterday’s burden to today’s issues.Whatever burdens you are carrying now, let them down for a moment. Then RELAX and let off the worries.
Can you pray? Please do. Do you need help? Ask. Seek for advice. Seek wisdom. Prioritize and worry only about the things you can control. The ones you can’t, lay them off!
….. Whatever, no matter how tough it seems, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. So hold on, keep hope alive! Don’t let the worry of the burdens of the present limitation or challenges weigh you down and knock you out. Lay down the burdens. Remove the weight of worry and reduce the stressors.
Shalom!
SANMI FALOBI.
Image: PeopleImages / Getty Images