5 Things You Can Do When You’re Stressed Or Burdened

Speaker 0:00

Whatever is going on in your life, whether you're dealing with grief, divorce, depression, addiction, financial issues, betrayal, and fertility, you will get through this. How you get through it, that's what we're going to talk about. Join me.

Welcome!

Speaker 0:21

Welcome to Hope Blvd. I'm Geri Carlson. I am so glad you're here. This makes it all worth it for me. So thank you for tuning in for another episode. This is episode number six of Hope Blvd. Hey, we're climbing. We're getting there. So I appreciate you being here. I am really looking forward to today's topic. So let's get started.

One Chapter

Speaker 0:47

Whatever is going on in your life, remember that this is one chapter and you will get through it. There is still so much more of your story to tell, and it's going to be good because God is the author of your story. Are you experiencing stress or anxiety? Um, no, Geri, I don't know what you're talking about. What is that? (Words I've never heard.) One of my favorite things about counseling and coaching clients is helping them find solutions to their challenging life issues. I love to see the weight begin to lift off their shoulders or the light bulb go on. Sometimes difficult life issues appear as a result of consequences from our own poor choices. I've worked with people in addictions where that's a really tough thing. I mean, it started with one poor choice of them taking that first drug, or maybe it wasn't their choice, maybe it was forced upon them. But at some point, here they are. And there was one case where it took me a while to convince an organization that addictions was more than just a choice. It always involved trauma. There was some kind of trauma in the life of the person who was addicted. Now, other times difficult life issues can come from something that is beyond our control, such as abuse or tragedy, or basic relationship conflicts.

Turning The Page

Speaker 2:22

So, first I want to say you don't have to stay stuck in whatever you have going on that's weighing you down. If this is a hard chapter in your life, hang on to the belief that it will get better. You will get to a better place, one sentence at a time, one page at a time. And guess what? You get to keep turning the page. You may not be the author of your story, but you certainly can make choices that will help along the way. When we're dealing with heavy life issues, it's sometimes hard to think about anything else. Can I get a witness? I mean, how often are we consumed with thoughts about the problem? Well, that's not helpful. So then what else can we focus on? And how can we direct our thoughts? I promise I'll get to those five action steps in a moment.

What Was HE Thinking?

Speaker 3:16

Let me share this with you. When I started to become very ill and then paralyzed over the course of a couple of weeks, I started thinking, okay, it's my turn. God is preparing me for something. I mean, people don't just go paralyzed for no reason at all. I knew he had a purpose. I had no idea what that purpose was. I mean, it's not like he came down and consulted me on the whole matter. But honestly, if he would have told me I was going to remain paralyzed for nearly a year, yeah, I might have fought him on that one. But God had a plan and it involved me going through this really horrible time. But he also knew that a while later I would be sitting here talking to you about it, knowing that I had gotten through that horrible time. A time when it appeared my life was over. Well, I did almost die, and they did want to put me in hospice. So it sure seemed like my story was coming to a close. But you know what's interesting? I didn't focus on dying.

Focus

Speaker 4:28

I kept wondering what God had in mind and what was the purpose for this suffering. And once I got out of the hospital, what would my life look like then? And how would I serve him? Because that's been my life. I'm ministry-minded, and God knows that. But he had a reason for me to go through this time. I can't say I know what God was thinking, but I do know one thing. I do know that God wants me to share the message of hope. That is clear to me. Let me also be clear about this. While I was being all inquisitive and thinking of all those things, I was also very afraid. That was a scary time. I trusted God, but I had already suffered and had been through enough to know that there was more coming down the pike, you know? So while I was understanding that this was part of his purpose, I also realized that I was most likely going to endure more pain. And it was going to be uncomfortable and it was going to be ugly sometimes, and there were going to be people that were not kind to me, and there were going to be all kinds of adjustments. So I went through a lot of different emotions. And then adding medication on top of that, hallucinations on top of that, it was a lot to deal with. There was a lot going on, a lot of unanswered questions. But I trusted -- THAT I can say. I also knew that I could speak to God and beg him for mercy, which I did. And mercy didn't seem to come for a while. But God gave me what I needed to get through. And every once in a while he would show me some glimmer of hope. He would give me a nudge to let me know he was there. Whether that was in the form of a kind person or answered prayer and a new diagnosis that would help doctors know how to treat me, mercy came. Thank you, Jesus. Mercy came.

Story Of Resilience

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One of the many doctors I see kept saying, This is a story of resilience. From where you were, it's amazing. It's true. I was determined to get through this. And God was merciful. I kept thinking, beauty comes from ashes. In the end, God will be glorified, and that's the ultimate beauty. I also know that God was there with me and cared about what happened to me. He didn't stop it all from happening, but he did give me the strength to get through it. It's really important to remember that. And he'll provide you with that strength too, friend.

My Faith Take

Speaker 7:29

My faith take today comes from Isaiah 61, verses 1 through 3. Speaking of beauty from ashes. I want to read what this says to you. I'm really focused on the third verse, but this whole thing is just beautiful. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good things to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of our Lord and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. You know, the trees of righteousness, in some translations, it reads, the oak of righteousness. Well, I want my roots to go deep, like an old oak. Can you imagine? I mean, it can be a lengthy process for the tree to grow and to strengthen and to provide shade and all of that, but it's well worth it. It's also true that some people grow faster than others when they wrap their heart and mind around God's truth. I work on keeping my focus and not getting ahead of myself. And sometimes that's a struggle. I also recognize that when I'm going through some of the toughest things in life, God is preparing me for something. I need to pause and remember that. I don't want to miss it. He is a loving, caring God, and I know he'll see me through. So keep talking to him, friends.

5 Action Steps

Speaker 9:23

Here are five things you can do right now to lower your stress level and work through challenging times. I'm going to start with a quote that I share almost every day. This is one of my favorite quotes. And anyone who knows me, my family, my friends, they've heard me say this quote hundreds of times, if not thousands. Seriously, I've said this for, I don't know, 20 years or so. And it's simply this. Whatever you focus upon increases. This is a quote by Andy Andrews. He's a wonderful author, storyteller, and humorist. And you know what? This is a refrigerator-worthy quote. This is one of those things you write down and put on your refrigerator. Whatever you focus upon increases. So, number 1 -- the first thing you can do right now to lower your stress level and work through challenging times is to remember that mindset is everything. Attitude is everything. Do you need an attitude adjustment or just a new perspective? Being mindful involves being aware of your thoughts and actions and asking yourself, how is this helpful? Number 2 -- I encourage you to play the movie forward in your mind and ask yourself what you can do in your situation. What action can you take that will be helpful? It may be just one small thing. What is the next right step? Number 3 -- also be mindful of when you should be still, just for the time being. Be self-aware. Is it hard for you not to take action right now? Fill your time with something productive that isn't focused on your problem. Get a new hobby. Go out with friends and pray. Talk to God and listen. I mean, remember that praying is also part listening. What is God placing on your mind? And remember to consider the character of God when you're listening. How will you know the character of God? That gets into number 4 -- Read God's word or listen to it being read or listen to sermons and Bible teachings. This is how to learn the true character of God. And remember that God communicates with us through his word by way of the Holy Spirit. If something seems to jump off the page at you, take heart that this may be something God is highlighting for you to notice. Number 5 is talk with a mentor or a trusted friend who has shown wisdom. Who is in your support system, your inner circle, as I like to call it. If you don't have a support system, start building one. Surround yourself with honest, responsible, God-loving individuals who have shown good decision-making skills in their own life, people who have integrity, or find a counselor who will help you work through whatever it is that has you so stressed or burdened.

Character Of God

Speaker 12:47

I want to add another note about the character of God. I think that's incredibly important when we are focused on Jesus, when we want to live our lives for Him. Most of my adult life, I have focused on studying how Jesus behaved and interacted with people when he walked this earth. I loved to learn about that. I love to read about it. And when I went back to grad school to study counseling and ministry, that was my main focus. The character of God. Study his word. There's a wealth of information just waiting for you. I hope this is helpful, friends. If any of this is helpful or encouraging, please share it with a friend and hit the like button. I'd love to hear from you. Let me know what works for you when you come across challenging times.

Counseling And Coaching

Speaker 13:57

I'm a graduate level counselor and coach with over 20 years of experience. If you're interested in working with me, just go to my website at Geri Carlson, that's G-E-R-I Carlson.com or Hope Blvd.org and request a free 15-minute call to briefly share with me about your issue and to see if I'd be a good fit. Please know there is a limited appointment availability, and at times there may be a wait list. There's more info on the GeriCarlson.com website, and I'll leave a link in the show notes.

Thanks For Listening!

Speaker 14:39

That's it for episode number six. Thank you so much for being here and joining me. I'll meet you back here next week for episode seven of Hope Blvd. Until our paths meet again, make it a great day for you and someone else. And remember, friends, there is always hope. Always. Bye for now.