Worry-free - part III

Worry-Free - part III

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/stop-worrying-anxiety-cycle_n_4002914

(Last in a series of three)

We have been looking at worry.  Yesterday, I referred to Matthew 6:27 “Can anyone of you by worrying, add a single hour to your life?”

#7 Keep your hands busy

Do you knit? Crochet?  Do crossword puzzles or jigsaw puzzles?  Keeping your hands and mind busy on other projects can keep worry away.

Proverbs 16:27 says this: “ Idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece.”  If you are staying busy, you have less time to brood, fret and worry!!

The article says: “Engaging in activities that keep your hands busy and mind distracted could help prevent flashbacks from traumatic experiences”.

#8 Meditate

Turn your back on worries as you meditate and/or pray.  

The article says “Taking some time to find some Zen can really help anxiety in your brain — even brain scans say so. A study published earlier this year in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience showed that meditation training not only lower anxiety levels in people, but it also had effects on the anterior cingulate cortex and ventromedial prefrontal cortex brain regions (the former region controls emotions and thinking, the latter controls worrying).”

I try to start my mornings with scripture reading, meditation, and prayer.  (And, no way am I perfect!!).  

And, a question for you:  “What were you worried about last year at this time?” or “What were you worried about five years ago at this time of year?”.  Did your worry at that time accomplish anything other than stress in your life?  Probably not.

#9 Get your heart pumping

An almost universal suggestion for so many things is ‘get some exercise’.  

The article has these words of wisdom for us: “Exercise may be a predictable way to beat stress, but it’s only predictable because it’s so effective. Research in animals, for instance, shows that exercise can affect brain activity of serotonin (a so-called “happy” brain chemical) as well as reduce the effects of oxidative stress, The New York Times reported. And Well and Good points out studies showing that exercise interventions can result in lower anxiety levels than people who stay tied to the couch. “Several studies have found the effects of aerobic exercise to be initially similar to those of medication,” Jeff Dolgan, an exercise physiologist at Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach, told Well and Good. “However, in the long term, exercise seems to work better”.

Hey, I want serotonin flowing in my brain!!!  Set aside time for exercise every day!!!

For all who are traveling for Thanksgiving, be safe!!  May God bless you and your loved ones as you take time to give thanks!!

Hugs!!

Karen