Finding a way out of needless busyness and stress and back to joy

Can we talk about our stress?

I have been doing less of everything the last few months - less work, less cleaning, less ministry, less reading - and it has been weird. I would like to say it has felt refreshing, but actually I haven’t felt like myself. Myself likes to go, go, go. 

It's been eye opening. I was stretched thin for so long that I was numb to the effect on my body and mind and relationships. I realize that feeding my craving for productivity has not necessarily been beneficial. And it is so much easier for me to be the wife and mom I want to be when I have space to breathe and think and decompress. 

We all have stressors in our lives we cannot control and have to learn to manage. But so much of our resources, energy, and focus, are spent on things that are not necessary. To add insult to injury, many of us still don’t feel like we’re doing or being enough. This keeps us stuck in a never-ending busy and stressed loop.

I think the beginning of the year is a good time to remind ourselves that it’s okay to do less. That God doesn’t lay heavy burdens on us but leads us in peace. That our lives can, in fact, flourish when we put him and his plans for us first (see previous post about being fruitful). 

I want to be productive but I want to do the right things instead of all the things. I want to lead my children in being healthy and getting needs met in the right ways. I want to live in a home that feels at peace, even when life is hard. 

And slowly, surely, as I choose the best things, as I sacrifice the life fillers for the things that fill me up, the joy returns, the sense of rest and order. It’s so good, so worth it.

Last year I put together a short series of faith-based videos on what we are getting wrong about our daily routines and how to fix them to reduce everyday stress and start enjoying family life again. You can watch the videos or listen to the audio in your car.

Get the stress-free course and workbook here.

If you and your friends regularly talk about stress (as mine do), would you mind sharing it with a few friends?

Let’s partner together to choose our wellbeing over our busyness.