Cyndi lives in the perverbial small town in West Tennessee with her husband and 2 cats. Writing, from the heart, on a variety of subjects is her passion. Spirituality is always #1, with natural health issues a very close second. Common sense tips from the wise King Solomon of Israel on conquering daily stress.
Stress, a modern day affliction, affects everyone. We have no control over some of the stress causing events that happen in our lives. Loss of a loved one, loss of employment, divorce, issues with our children, are just a few of those things. There are however, habits that we can create for ourselves that may reduce the level of overall stress on a day to day basis.
Worries are not exclusive to the modern world. Since the dawn of time, humans have had at least some level of stress. King Solomon of Israel, said to be the wisest man who ever lived, has some advice for dealing with daily stress. With 700 wives, 300 girlfriends, or concubines, and a vast kingdom to rule, King Solomon knew a thing or two about stress. How did this wise king deal with the daily stress of living?
The writings of King Solomon can be found in the book of Proverbs in the Bible. We can glean at least four positive actions to take to cast off some of the weight of stress in our lives. The following passages are quoted from the New Living Translation of the Bible, the book of Proverbs. Notations following each Scripture quoted is the chapter and verse.
Laughter. A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. 17:22 For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast. 15:15 King Solomon knew the value of laughter and cheerfulness long before modern day experts came to the same conclusions. We now have laughter therapy in the form of laughter yoga, laughter clinics, and laughter seminars. Why? Because laughter is definitely good medicine. According to some experts, 20 minutes of laughter per day exercises your lungs causing you to breathe deeper. Laughter can regulate your blood pressure and even boosts your immune system. Laughter also clears your mind enabling you to think through stressful situations with a whole new outlook.
Honesty. Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.11:3 This presents a contrast between honest living and dishonest living. Honesty, especially in small matters, will bring us respect and trust from others. When you lie down with a clear conscience, knowing you have been honest in business and personal relationships, sleep will be restful.
Kindness. Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you. 11:17 Showing kindness to others simply makes you feel good. Acts of kindness do not have to be big and elaborate. As a matter of fact, it is the small, secret good deeds that give your heart and mind a lift. Concentrating on others takes our focus off of our own troubles.
Good conversation. Kind words are like honey -- sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. 16:24 The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. 18:21 Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble. 21:23 King Solomon had quite a bit to say about how we converse. Our words not only affect others, but they affect our own mindset also. When we choose our words carefully and utter the most kind replies, we will find ourselves not regretting what we say. We can never really take back what we say. Words that leave our mouths never return unheard. Guarding our words with discretion will decrease those instances where you feel you may have said the wrong thing.
Our stress levels begin and end with ourselves. There will always be stress, to one level or another however, developing the habits of more laughter, more honesty, more kindness, and speaking good words will take the focus off of stress producing events. In time, you will find yourself with more peace of mind than you ever thought possible and a greater sense of well being.