BREATH!

Clenched fists, gnashed teeth, gloom face, feet dragging, tears streaming…

BREATH!

This was me for the past month. Life got stressful, and I clearly didn’t know how to deal with it. But ever so often, I would catch myself, and repeated the word “breath”, over and over until I cleared my mind and felt relaxed again.

INHALE, EXHALE!

Feeling relaxed only lasted momentarily, because the stress and my mental list of “things to do” kept growing and growing in my mind. Vitamin B-6 helps the body’s production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which inhibits impulses between nerve cells in the brain, reducing anxiety. Learn more at humblerootspr’s website.

BREATH!

For those who don’t know, we’re currently renovating one house, and selling another. Honestly, the renovation part is fun. I enjoy renovating houses (yes, we’ve done it a couple of times now). But the moving part is stressful. I knew it would be, but I didn’t know exactly how much it would impact me. I guess the thing is, I’m not a stressed-out person. My family and husband will tell you that I’m probably one of the most laid back, easy-going people they’ve ever met. I guess that’s part of the problem – I don’t get stressed often, so when I do, I don’t know how to cope with it.

BREATH!

The stress has had such an impact on me that pretty much everything else in my life has taken a back seat including preparing for our trip (the timing couldn’t be worse, but it’s a free trip to Hawaii so we’re not about to say no), and blogging. Luckily, I have a job that allows me to make my own schedule and take on as much or as little work as I want.

BREATH!

I often don’t realize how much of a zombie I am, my face glazed over, showing no expression or emotion. It’s not until my youngest son Nathan looks at me with the biggest smile on his face, trying to make me smile, that I realize how sad and stressed I must look. Or when my oldest son asks me why I’m sad, my heart breaks. I never want them to see me this way. I’m supposed to be their pillar of strength… but I’m also human.

BREATH!

I’ve become and emotional eater and my weight keeps increasing, but at the same time, the stress is eating me up from the inside. I’m happy and content one moment, but an emotional wreck the next. I want to be strong for my family, but I’m barely holding it together. I lay awake at night, worrying but want to nap during the day. I want to get outside, get some fresh air, run around with my kids, but I just have no energy.

BREATH!

Luckily, this stress will just be temporary and in a few weeks, it’ll be all for not when our house is sold and the worst of it will be behind us. As my husband and I keep saying, it’s “short term pain for long term gain.” For now, I’ll just keep repeating my mantra….

BREATH!