My Darn Car Died!
“Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs them down, but a good word makes one glad.”
Last week, I was driving home after visiting someone in the hospital, and my car died. I was the second car at the light. It was a busy intersection, and I couldn’t even get the car to the side of the road because its electrical system wasn't working. It locked my car in park. I had the hazard lights on, but people behind me were too enraged and honking nastily to see the hazards and realize I didn’t stop for the fun of it. My stress level went through the roof. It was also the day with 20 degrees below zero wind chills and 50-mile-an-hour winds, and I was outside trying to direct people around me, but it was so cold I had to get back in the car or risk frostbite. What a nightmare!
A couple of days later, I saw an article by Greta Solomon in “Psychologies” online magazine entitled “Stress is not your enemy,” and I almost pitched my iPad across the room. Ok, I am exaggerating a little, but apparently, I am also dealing with a little dead car PTSD. When I read Solomon’s story, I appreciated the information she provided. Solomon states, “Stressful experiences lock memories into the body.” When a similar stressful situation arises, the old memories flood and overwhelm the mind. I have a few dead car horror stories, and the anxiety from past experiences was influencing my mind.
Stress can be a good thing. Stress causes us to respond to situations and can be a good motivator. It is when we cannot control our stress that it becomes destructive. Recovering from stress is key. Being an athlete places stress on your body. With practice, an athlete’s body can handle more stress, but constant stress can deteriorate even the best athlete’s body, leading to injury. We can learn to handle more stress, but if we are unable to rest and recover, stress will injure us physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Today, take a few minutes and do a stress assessment. Answer Greta Solomon’s question: “How big is your stress bucket?” Next, ask, “Is it overflowing?” It doesn’t matter how big the bucket is, if it's full all the time. Remind yourself of healthy ways you’ve recovered from emotional and spiritual stress in the past and add the activities to your daily schedule. God has called us to care for ourselves so that we can care for others. Do not allow stress to overwhelm you every day. When the car dies, take extra time afterward to recover and heal, so that stress doesn’t rule your life. Practice relaxation, so your stressors do not control you. I will try to practice what I preach!
