Breathe In, Breathe Out (ep #3, part 1 of 3 on Managing Stress)

This is part 1 of 3 in a series on managing stress. Many times the  tyranny of the urgent seemingly sneaks up on us "out of nowhere" only to dominate and overwhelm us from the inside-out. You know the feeling -- increased heart rate, frustration that simply takes the best words out of our mouth, headache, pressure in our head or at the top of our neck... In the heat of the moment our character will (or unfortunately, will not) shine through as we react to the stress and pressure out of instinct. It is in times like this we should remember to take a deep breath. Breathe in for 5 counts, hold for 5 counts, breathe out for 5 counts, hold for 5 counts, and repeat. The power of pausing for a deep breath, taking a step back, and remembering that God is in control and we can ask for His peace in any situation we face, is critical. It is generally best to choose response over reaction, so I advise taking a deep breath and tackling stressful situations with a clear mind and peaceful heart. We are going to see in the next episode that not all stress is bad stress, in fact some stress is good stress, as it can propel us to succeed and push forward with our goals. 

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