Hello everyone.

Why are we running ourselves into the ground anyway? We’re like the driver who’s so concerned about where he’s going, how fast he can get there, that he fails to notice that his engine is knocking, the tires losing air, and the gas tank is almost empty. Then, when the car breaks down, he wonders, “what happened.?”

It took me years to understand that no matter how great one’s cause is, when you push yourself beyond the boundaries of life, you suffer the exact results as those who burn out in any other endeavors. The pursuit of wealth, comfort, prosperity, has left many, if not all exhausted and disconnected from the basic things they ought to do for themselves; take time to breathe.

This may come as a revelation to you, but you’re supposed to get tired. It’s part of life to work and rest. With so much happening around us, many have forgotten what it feels like to sit on a couch for five minutes and breathe. Take your mind off the ringing phone, the mail notifications, your PA’s voice over the intercom and just breathe. Your unwillingness to take time out to rest and take life easily will skyrocket your blood pressure and make your contentment level low.

Wondering how you can make stress work for you and not against you? Here are four ways to help you:

1. Acknowledge that stress is an emotional adrenaline for you:

When you see the stress this way, you will have better ways to handle it, since you’re the one creating it. If you’re born into a stress-filled life, you probably may not see life any other way. When your only tool in life is a boxing ring, you tend to see everything in life as a punching bag. There’s more to life my friend. Don’t let yourself be controlled by stress.

Make a list of the things that gets you stressed up. Figure out why they get you stressed. If the reasons are more mundane, then its time to cut them off your life. It’s not going to happen in a day, but with commitment and dedication, anything you set your mind upon can be achieved. Keep your stress level at a minimum, if you can eradicate it completely.

2. Listen and follow the signs:

Nothing in your life is arbitrary. Everything happens for a reason. Your body would always give you warning signals if it’s stressed up. Heed the signs before your body breaks down. Take care of yourself. You don’t have to wait until you’re sick to go to the doctor. Visit your doctor and have him check you regularly. Health is wealth. You will be of no use to God or to anybody else if you’re not in good health. Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, it’s about how to dance in the rain. You have every right to a beautiful life. You are worth life, take care of your health. No one is promised tomorrow.

3. Manage your time:

This has become a huge problem to deal with for many. Most people as a result of the pressures of life find it difficult to manage their time. They eat when they should be sleeping, sleep when they ought to work, work when they should be resting. This is a whole lot to take in for many people. Time is always of the essence, but it needs to be properly managed.

The commonly used slogan here in Lagos, Nigeria by both young and old is, ” ómó no time ohh.” They use this as a motivating factor to work harder while there’s still time. The irony here is that many have lots of underlying health issues as a result of neglect to their health and they are not aware of it. Their time is mostly used for working. Make out a time to use your energy when it’s needed, use your gift at the appropriate time, and rest when your body calls for it.

4. Adapt to change:

It’s okay to change, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Love yourself enough to change and break away from unhealthy habits that are increasing your stress level. You are responsible for you and you’ve got every right what should stay and what should go in your life. No one can love you better than you love yourself. It’s your life, your decision, at the end of the day.
Change is not merely necessary to life – it is life.-Leo Tolstoy

I encourage you today, to schedule rest periods on your calendar. Timely rests restores your energy, maintains your ability, so you can function at full capacity.

Love ❤️??