Finding Peace in the Chaos
The holiday season brings a mix of emotions: joyful anticipation, overwhelming anxiety, relational tension and even sadness. As days fly by, we tend to overfill our schedules, shopping carts and hungry bellies with too much stuff. We’re left with so much to do and so little time. How do the holidays leave you feeling – perhaps more stressed rather than blessed?
I once attended a conference where the speaker helped us understand that HOW we think about stress matters. We most often react to circumstances adversely. Distress is “bad stress,” which is a negative response to situations we perceive as unmanageable or threatening. It’s like an enemy! Eustress is considered “good stress,” which is a positive response that motivates and can lead to personal growth. It can be considered a friend. Essentially, eustress is beneficial for our overall health while distress is detrimental to it.
We can begin to choose a new response to stress by identifying it as positive energy, which enables us to face challenges better. A way to do this is by mindfulness, which is the practice of being fully present and aware of what you’re doing, feeling and thinking in the moment. It’s the opposite of rushing or multitasking. It can feel counterintuitive because we’ve been conditioned to believe that the faster we move, the more we achieve. Yet it’s the deliberate pauses that lead to increased focus, better decisions and improved capability to do what we need to.
One small way I’ve been exercising mindfulness is while doing dishes. (I admit, I really don’t love this job – especially first thing in the morning before I’ve had my coffee.) Walking into a dirty kitchen used to stress me out a LOT. However, I’ve been learning to choose a more thoughtful response to this mundane task and redirect it into a positive one. As I face the mountain of dishes, I take a deep breath. I remind myself I can use the time to decompress my thoughts as I listen to music, an uplifting podcast or pray. I let the warm water run over my hands and turn this chore into a quiet act of worship as I turn my focus on Jesus. Same activity but definitely a much more peaceful experience.
Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to what is happening in our lives and looking at it through a different lens. It will not eliminate pressures but helps us to respond to them in a calmer manner that is good for our heart, mind and soul. We slow down, connect with our Creator and remember that “this is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it ” (Psalm 118:24). During this holiday season, try to set aside time each day to breathe, reflect and embrace God’s peace in the chaos. Allow the joyful, as well as mundane moments to remind you of His goodness. You’ll be blessed – and less stressed – as you do!
Coaching Connection:
- How might practicing mindfulness with God bring a more positive experience into your life?
- What’s one holiday task you could approach with a mindset of gratitude this year?
To Your Growth,
Image by DALL·E via OpenAI