Stress Management

I am going to discuss three of the Seven Secrets of Stress Management. I am going to begin with "Principle of Identification: Know Who You Are". This is not only the first secret to stress management, but it is also an important skill for life. Next, I will discuss "Organization: Set Clear Goals". Under this category, I will explore how we can manage our stress by maintaining clear and precise goals. Finally, I will explore "Relaxation: Take Time to Enjoy Life". Under this category, I will convey why it is important to balance work with play and how we accomplish it.

The first secret of stress management is the "Principle of Identification: Know Who You Are". This was a principle that Jesus mastered during an incredibly stressful time of his earthly life. There are eighteen specific times that Jesus defines himself; one of the verses is found in John 8:58 where Jesus simply says "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" This not only asserts his pre-existent deity but also shows that Jesus was both God and man. If we look back to Exodus 3:14, Jehovah God (YHWH) uses the same description for himself. It reads "God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"" Jesus identified who He is by using the same words as YHWH used in the Old Testament. According to Casey Treat, we need to answer some questions to uncover our destiny and know who we are. What is the deepest desire of your heart? This is a question that resonates throughout scripture. In Psalm 37:4, we read "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he shall give you the desires of your heart." Most of us can look back throughout childhood into our adolescent years and recognize a few desires that always followed us. These tell us a little bit about who we are. Another question that Treat asks is "What flows naturally out of you?" Walking your God-given course will be like striding in the pair of shoes that fits perfectly, sitting in the cozy chair that feels better than any other, wearing your favorite jacket (Treat 1995).

The next secret of stress management that I have chosen is "Organization: Set Clear Goals". In John 8:14, Jesus states, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going." In order to manage our stress both in our work environment and home, we need to be organized and have clear goals. According to Huisken (2006), there are four key points to successful goal setting. The author recommends that a person writes down the goals, makes the goals realistic, measures the progress, and breaks the goals down into stages. When approaching a task, you usually have three options. You can do it, delegate it, or defer it (Mathis 2006). Often times, we tend to keep too much paper around that we really don't need. This is also the case for computer files. Mathis recommends spending about thirty minutes each reviewing your email, computer folders, and hardcopy reference folders to make sure your organization is still efficient and effective. In order to get organized fast, David Allen recommends you make your stuff into real, actionable items or things you can just get rid of. Everything you keep has a clear reason for being in your life at any given momentÐ'--both now and well into the future (Allen 2002)

The next secret of stress management is "Relaxation: Take Time to Enjoy Life". In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus commanded the disciples to rest. He said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Each person has their own method of relaxing; a person can perform breathing exercises, certain hand movements, receive a massage, read, play sports, pray or simply sleep. According to Robin Powell's Physical Relaxation Techniques, there are many ways a person can reduce stress and tension in there

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