Is it just me? I feel that I am always hearing terrible stories. A child with cancer, another with a terrible disease, etc. People my age with cancer, suicides and abandoned marriage you name it. I don’t recall my parents at the same stage in life knowing so many affected people. Do I know more people than others or are peoples’ issues more public because of Facebook?
It definitely forces one to reframe one’s world. Our perspective is our reality and we can control this. I am having an incredibly stressful week. I have gone from “why me?” to “why cannot life be easier” to “wow I have so many blessings.”
I always joke that if life was meant to be simple, instead of leaning about the trials and tribulations of the Imot and Avot (biblical mothers Sara, Rivka, Rachel and Leah and fathers Avraham,Yitchak and Yacov), we would be told how they sipped martinis on a sunny island. Clearly, we are supposed to experience challenges, stress and pain.
The question is how do we move along each day? What message do we send to our kids while managing our stresses? My way of coping is taking five minutes each night in bed before the Shema and thinking about everything and challenging myself to reframe even the most challenging situations.
Immas, how do you cope with stress? Please share your tips and secrets for a more stress-less life.
Originally published: January 12, 2012