Stress Is Today’s Thorn; Destroy It

By Ettie Rutherford
Contributing Columnist

One of the most frightening results of today’s virus-ravaged world is the other wide-spread epidemic. I am talking about stress in every-day life. Although everyone experiences stress to some degree, the way we respond makes a big difference to our overall well-being. It is evident that ongoing restrictions in daily life has left adults and children striving to adjust to a new reality, which consists of a noticeable increase in rage, anger, hate, mental illness and gun violence.

The fact that stress affects us physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually has not made us more adept at seeking remedies to lessen its effects.

Rather, there seems to be far too many, who accept stress as a natural way of living, and instead of focusing on managing stress or changing the situation, some people wear stress as a badge of honor, believing that repeatedly telling others how “stressed out” they are, will make it seem as if they are super-busy, super-important and super-achievers.

So, let us get rid of stress and acknowledge that we are all worthy people, who deserve to live a stress-free life. We must all refuse to live as professional victims by:

1. Developing a clear understanding of how stress impacts our lives.
2. Deciding that living a stress-free life is not an option; it is an imperative.
3. Taking personal responsibility for reducing stress, and stop blaming everyone else.
4. Seeking help to identify and deal with unavoidable stress.
5. Responding, instead of re-acting, to stressful situations.
6. Engaging in practical solutions, such as: exercising, reading, journaling, praying, listening to music and engaging in community activities.

In Sisterhood!

Award-winning Ettie Rutherford, B.Ed, Dip.Ed, M.Ed, is an educator, life coach, consultant and author of “Why Perch Like A Chick When You Can Soar Like An Eagle?”. An accomplished public speaker, Ettie is the Founder and CEO of Women Are Worthy, which provides step-by-step strategies for women to achieve their goals, with a minimum amount of stress. She can be reached at ettie@womenrworthy.com