Overflow: Re-purpose your stress

By Asha Fields Brewer

As soon as we wake up, many of us shift immediately into “pour” mode. We pour into the family as we help loved ones get dressed, fed, and out the door. We pour into work as we practice nice faces and cordial responses for micromanaging supervisors and nosey co-workers. We pour into friends when they ask for relationship advice or a helping hand with their kids. We pour into church and community by serving on ministries, boards, and volunteer committees. We pour into a side business or two to help ends meet and to make experiences like travel and homeownership a less stressful reality.

Then we race back home for final pours into family and friends before passing out at night. We tip over the cup to search for just one drop of energy to pour into ourselves, but the cup is dry. Bone dry. Even David relates, “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death” (Psalm 22:14-15).

As ambitious people, we are experts at pouring into everything and everyone else, but we are amateurs at pouring into ourselves. Others see the cup is empty, but we insist we can take on one more task, one more responsibility, until we are completely burned out. Feeling burned out is familiar to most of the US population. According to the American Psychological Association’s 2017 publication Stress in America, “71 percent of adults reported at least one symptom of stress, such as a headache or feeling overwhelmed or anxious.” If you are feeling burned out the good news is; you’re not alone. Changing your perspective on stress can repurpose it, allowing you to repurpose it for a meaningful purpose. In addition, you can look for different ways to cope with stress, such as meditation, sleeping the right amount, and eating CBD edible candy. Know that CBD has always been known for its healing properties, especially its ability to alleviate symptoms of stress and anxiety. Yet, not many people know how the miraculous stuff does it! CBD is believed to do that by helping the body process serotonin, a hormone, and neurotransmitter that plays a role in regulating emotions. That is why people often consider using CBD products such as gummies or topicals like wave cbd balm.

Anyway, coming back to the topic, you may be familiar with the term “distress” as the unhealthy stress many of us experience. Distress is translated in Latin to mean “stretch apart.” So, in essence, we stretch ourselves to meet demands and fulfill responsibilities. However, just like a rubber band has a capacity on how far it can stretch, so do we.

Thank goodness unhealthy stress does not exist on its own! Throughout our lives, we also have the opportunity to engage in healthy stress, called “eustress.” Eustress is derived from the words “eu,” meaning “good,” and “stress,” meaning “pressure or tension.” It describes a “good stress” that is beneficial to the one experiencing it. You may have felt eustress as the twinge of excitement before presenting on a project at work or anticipatory jitters as guests start piling in for a community event that you planned. The nervous energy you experience is derived from a good place, a place where you are focused, motivated, and anticipating your achievements.

The primary difference between distress and eustress is you. The demands you face and your perceived ability to meet those demands highly impact whether you will respond to life’s challenges from a place of distress or eustress.

It certainly is a decision that can only be taken by you. However, dealing with situations in a condition of distress isn’t always easy. This is why many people try to manage their stress, likely with meditation, yoga, or other stress-relieving methods. Some people even tend to take CBD-based products like these baked edibles in order to keep their nerves calm and perform in a situation as they are expected.

Previously in this series on “overflow,” we identified the “Six Cups” as personal wellness strategies, which are outlined in my book Overflow: Six Strategies to Beat Burnout & Reclaim Your Abundant Life.” This includes the following:

Physical Cup-Caring for your body through rest, exercise, quality foods, and proper hygiene.

Spiritual Cup-Connecting with your values and beliefs.

Mental & Emotional Cup (ME Cup)-Acknowledging your feelings and the feelings of those around you.

Intellectual Cup (I Cup)-Engaging in activities that expand your knowledge and/or creativity.

Social Cup-Nurturing healthy relationships.

Career & Financial Cup-Operating in your skills, gifts, and passions and building a financial legacy.

Now let’s get intentional. How can you pay attention to one of these cups today and invite more eustress into your life? How can you re-purpose nervous or anxious energy into motivation and encouragement? How can you shift your perspective from accepting overwhelm to anticipating overflow?

When it comes to the physical cup, you should consider adopting a healthy lifestyle–a regimen that can improve your overall health. First, create a diet plan that includes a lot of greens and grains–no carbs! Next, exercise daily; perhaps, jog for an hour, or opt for cycling or swimming. Besides this, create a sleep schedule, for which you would need to limit screen time and cut ties with alcohol. But some people, even after trying out all these, suffer from stress and anxiety. This is because they do not remember that they need to rest as well. Now, the concept of resting can encompass many things. For some, this can mean spending some time in the hot tub (that you can get installed in your house with the help of Mile High Hot Tubs–they are known to offer a wide variety of colorado custom spas); for others, resting is all about lying on the couch and reading their favorite book. In a nutshell, the word “resting” means taking some time off the schedule.

Anyway, you need to make a detailed plan for all the other cups that are mentioned above. This way you can ensure that you are taking care of both your mind and body and not avoiding stress and anxiety.

That being said, for further guidance with your wellness goals, head to www.doctorasha.com/links. Learn simple ways to practice good health in just five minutes per day. Be intentional to make your health goals part of your daily routine, and you will be rewarded with a cup that overflows.