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Why I’m writing this outdoors with a breathtaking view

reduce stress Jan 31, 2022

I wish you could see me right now.

It’s 10:12am, the sun is out and it is a cool 70 degrees. I can hear the water flowing in the creek beside me. So why am I writing you beside a creek on a beautiful morning?!

It is just too nice outside to be inside working on my laptop. So I decided to take the laptop to one of my favorite places nearby… To me, this is a perfect place to be inspired and reflect. A place where you can think…

So why do I tell you all of this?

As you begin to discover and engage your transformational journey, it’s important to find opportunities and places where you can really connect with yourself and God at a heart level. 

A place where there are no distractions that is comfortable and safe. Some people call this their “sweet spot.” We all need a space like this where we can dial down and reflect, meditate, even pray. This reminds me of Psalm 46:10 - Be still and know that He is God…

Also, as we are still we can know ourselves more. Know what is really going on inside. The stuff that we push aside in all of our busyness. 

Want to know the #1 reason why most people never spend regular quiet time with themselves and God?

Surprisingly it usually has nothing to do with their relationship with God.

The #1 reason for lack of reflective alone time or quiet time with God is the stress, overwhelm and worry that plagues our lives. It is the tyranny of the urgent, the never ending to-do lists. 

In this stressed filled, chaotic world full of demands and pressures, it is hard to carve out a little regular time. Time that could be the most productive moments of our day. This stress and the demands of our to-do lists rob us of our ability to be present. Present to ourselves… present to God… even to others closest to us. 

Most of us do not MAKE TIME for this essential part of our lives to happen.

We’ve all been there, right?

But life can be different. A life with less stress. 

Where you find time to reflect… be still… and quiet inside… 

This can happen in your life as you use a few strategies to set yourself up for success. Become intentional and realize you can do this in a few short minutes every day (even just 5-10 minutes).

It comes down to a choice…

Choice #1: You let your busy life and urgent to-dos derail you from the self-care and needed connection with God and yourself at a heart level.

Choice #2: You will carve out a sliver of time on most days where you can spend some quiet time in your “sweet spot.”

You know which one I want you to choose...but the choice is yours, my friend!

So let’s continue with Michelle’s story:

And discover how she learned to slow down and create some quiet space and time to be present to God and to herself:

As Michelle reached out for help to address the fear of disappointing others and the need to please, she learned that her relationship with God would be the key to experience the transformation she longed for.

But first she needed to learn how to really spend time with God. Even her quiet time with Him seemed rather busy and full of to-dos. Like a list that needed to be checked off… It certainly wasn’t life-giving the way she thought it would be. 

Sure she focused on some truth and experienced some peace for a moment. But it didn’t take long for her to feel the stress and overwhelm of the day as she moved from her “quiet time.”

Michelle also longed for a real connection with God. As she focused on Scriptural passages and prayed, it felt more like a monologue. She desired to experience the type of connection she read about in Scripture.

First, there was a discovery for the need to create a quiet space that was free of distractions. She would begin retreating most mornings to her favorite chair where she loved to read. It was upstairs in her home where it tended to be quiet. 

Instrumental music created atmosphere and drowned out the conversations downstairs in the kitchen. 

Anything with lyrics tended to distract her, so she found some soothing music without words.

Michelle realized that even though she created a quiet space, she wasn’t quiet inside right away. It took some intentionality to let go of her worries and to-dos for the day. As she released those inner distractions to the Lord, she began to experience a quieting in her mind.

Her time with God felt less scattered and more focused as she learned to be more present to Him.

Michelle also become more present to herself. She was able to pray into her stresses and worries while learning how to listen as she was quiet. She began to hear and sense God address her concerns while showing her His love. 

He would often remind her of Scripture. She had her Bible and journal close at hand. 

There came a peace and calm that began to overflow into her day.

When the feelings of stress and overwhelm began to creep in, God would remind her of the truth she sensed and read earlier in the day.

This was wonderful!

Yet Michelle longed for more… She knew she wasn’t free from what created the stress, overwhelm and worry. She found a way to cope and deal with these negative emotions, but they would eventually come back and she still had to manage them.

She longed for true transformation, a change in the way she thought and felt inside. 

We soon will discover how Michelle experienced this lasting change where she no longer had to manage her feelings and thoughts in the same way.

> > > So before you go, I want you to know one thing:

Spending just a little time, even 5-10 minutes, undistracted and quiet, where you are present to self and God, can open the doors to hearing and sensing Him in a way that can produce a tremendous amount of peace and begin to really address the stress and overwhelm in your life.

Learn more about Your Transformational Journey by reading the next blog article in this series entitled:How to experience less stress, overwhelm and worry in your life

 

 

 

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