3 Ways to Reduce Stress Without Spending Money
Are you struggling to keep it all together? You know those feelings, don’t you, stress, panic, inadequacy, failure, fear, overwhelm and anxiety. I know those feelings well. For years I thought I performed best under pressure. I would wake up at 5 am go to the gym workout with my personal trainer, make it home before everyone woke up, have breakfast ready when the family got up, get the kid off to school, go to work and come home, just to run to activities and then make supper from scratch. Truth is I was more like a pressure cooker. You know what happens when you release the value right? Steam rushes out and can burn anyone it touches. That is what I would do, lose my temper, and burn my loved ones with my tone, words and actions. I don’t know if you have ever seen that dreaded message on your instant pot “burn,” not good. It means the whole thing shuts down because whatever is on the inside is burning. Well, I also burnt myself. I started having panic attacks and my whole body would shut down. The pressure was too much and I did not have the proper ingredients in me to prevent the shut down.
Good news friends! I figured out the right stuff to reduce stress and I am here to share them with you.
Prayer
If you have faith that your prayer will give God the responsibility and not you, that changes who the pressure is on. Philippians 4:6-7 says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I often hear about gratitude journals and three good things, which if I am honest feel fluffy and like another task I have to do in a day. Yet when I pray with thanksgiving, I am sincere. I don’t know what your prayers look or sound like, but mine are a conversation with a beloved friend and father. A prayer is an opportunity to connect and share my joy and grateful heart. It is also a chance to cry out and ask for help, to transfer my weakness to his strength, and give over my stress for peace.
Rest
Anybody struggle to slow down and rest? I overbook my calendar and then stress about my overbooked calendar, its madness! I stay busy because that means I don’t have time to focus on the things in my life that are sideways or inside myself that need healing. When I read Psalms 127:2 I felt called out by the author, just read this: “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God give rest to his loved ones.” Did you catch that? It is useless, useless to work anxiously when what we need is rest. God give rest to his loved ones. Hebrews 4:1 states that “God’s promise of entering his rest stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.” Matthew 11:28 tells us that Jesus said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Rest is so hard to do, but is so critical to reduce stress and take care of oneself.
Connection
Another area that is vital to reduce stress is connection. Connection to God, yourself and others. When spending time in prayer and rest with God you can see his love for you. It is hard to love yourself and reduce your stress levels if you don’t first understand how loved you are. By seeking connection to God you will find that you are loved beyond your own understanding. My biological father could not show me love, so my understanding of what a father’s love and personal sacrifice would be, was extremely limited. I do not know your story, but I would guess that your ability to understand how much God wants to have a relationship with you is limited like mine was too. When I started seeking that connection, it led to a much healthier relationship with myself and stronger connections with the friends and family around me. Finding community and connections is a great way to feel seen, understood, and supported which will help reduce the feelings of stress.
None of these 3 ways to reduce stress will cost you money. They will be a good investment in yourself. I hope you are able to try creating a rhythm to incorporate them each into your life. I truly believe that these three things can make a huge difference in your stress levels. I know they have for me.
For more ideas on life, money and reducing stress check out the Blessed Beyond the Stress podcast.
