The first part of healing is admitting you have a problem. The challenge is when the problem is part of who you are as a person and how you operate.
People have always asked me how I handle multiple priorities and keep calm in stressful situations. My response has always been. “I just do.” For the most part, that is true. I can usually step back from a situation, map out in my mind how to handle it, make a plan, and move on. I won’t say there are not a few occasions where I get stressed and snappy, but they are rare.
That works great for the things I can control. The challenge is for the things that I can’t. The problem presents when I try to handle what I can’t control In the same way as the things I can. It doesn’t work. At least not for long.
For the past 3, nearly 4 years there have been many things that I have experienced that were out of my control. I dealt, I compartmentalized, I moved on. Even as I write this, it brings me back to a bible study I did called Unglued by Lysa Terkuerst. She talked about 2 types of people, the stuffers and exploders. I realize now that I have been a stuffer. At some point, the stuffing overflows.
Holding onto things and not actually processing them is not healthy. I am learning that the hard way.
I am learning that making a list of stress relief tools and obsessively trying each one does not work. (This is funny when I think about it). Praying, talking, and actually seeking help do work. I am working on relaxing, working on letting go, and identifying my triggers for stress so I can take control in a healthy way.
I encourage you if you are overwhelmed to seek assistance. Don’t be afraid to talk to someone. It is healthier than holding it all in.
Swimming Upstream 