Daily Practices for the Harried Soul

by Cheryl Wright in Lifestyle Choices, September 16, 2008

It doesn’t take much effort to ease the stress and minimize the anxiety that infest our daily life. A few simple, daily practices make it easy.

Harried lives, that’s what we live, some more than others and each day brings its own stress and anxiety. How are you managing?

Below are a few practices to help you keep your body, mind and spirit relaxed and joyful in the harried moments of your busy day.

Be still

When we are constantly on the go, we tend to skim a few minutes of the top of our busy day to repeat the static busy person’s prayer. Even worse, quiet time with God barely makes it to a couple days a week. In Psalm 46:10 God says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

Let’s face it, the way our lives have evolved, we are forced to be inventive with where and when we spend time to refresh and nourish our souls. When you’re on the maxi or bus and it is still dark outside, at your work desk before opening hours, some time out of your lunch hour, on the evening commute or those few minutes after your night-time shower before your family calls for your attention again.

Smile

Don’t you just hate it when people keep telling you to smile?

But I’ve heard that smiling uses far fewer muscles than frowning yet it is great exercise for your face and it helps to keep wrinkles at bay making you look younger longer. My jury is still out on the wrinkle issue though.

Sometimes a serious demeanour can give people the wrong impression about you. If they got to know you better they’d realize that while you’re not a smiley-smiley kind of person, it doesn’t take much to make you smile either.

I’m not a smiley-smiley person myself, but it has nothing to do with being unhappy, troubled or angry or even being a downright sourpuss. It is simply that every spare moment when I am not outwardly busy with some task, I am deep in thought about something, most likely to do with writing. That’s my story.

What’s yours?

Smiling lights up your face, brightens your outlook and welcomes people into your moment, your day, your life. Think of extra special occasions in your life; amusing things your toddlers said and did, your wedding day, memorable outings with friends and so on.

Come on; give it a try. Smile nah.