Stress is what I struggle with most these days. I have a hard time shutting my mind off at night, sometimes to the point of tossing and turning for a few hours before falling to sleep. It seems that there are two things that have affected how I deal with stress:
Exercise
When I am exercising and doing some type of physical fitness plan, then my stress level goes way down and my energy level goes way up. I know this is nothing new, but it is amazing how my life changes when I exercise. When exercising, I try to pick a plan that will fit my schedule. I used to try to get up extra early and start new plans. Usually after the first week, I would fail. So I tried a new approach. If I felt like not getting up early that day, then I would do it later in the day. I just find times that are right for me to exercise. I know for all you health freaks your saying, the morning is the best time, but for me it is not always the best time. Ok, here’s a practical thing I did this year to help in this area: I trained for a 5K. I found this 9 week program that took me from couch potato to 5K. It was great. I tailored it to fit me. I did it on an elliptical cycle instead of outside (I got bad knees). This program jump started my physical fitness and gave me a good start and finish time as well as a goal. I never ran a 5K race but I did complete the program.
Eating Healthy
The second thing that I have noticed helps with my stress levels is how I eat. Right now, I do not drink any sodas. The carbonation as well as the caffeine leaves me bloated and eventually groggy. My motivation for exercise goes way down. And when this happens, my stress level goes way up. My wife has switched from using ground beef to using turkey meat. I have seen the difference on the scales this year combined with exercise. These are just two practical ways that I reduce stress in my life. I am not perfect in these endeavors and it is a constant struggle. What are some ways you reduce stress in your life so you can be a healthy pastor?
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