Words of Encouragement Devotional by: Stephanie R. Reck, LMSW, LBT, BCCC

KEEP GOING!

Reflect: You may feel like you are making much progress, but all the small steps that you are taking daily will add up. Don’t be discouraged if things are not going as quickly as you would like. God knows what He is doing, trust Him with the timing and the process. Don’t look back anymore, but everyday get up and move forward. No more keeping track of how far you have to go, but start keeping track of how much progress you have made. Be kind to yourself as you have overcome many obstacles. You are not on the path as others, so don’t compare their path with yours. Some days you may feel like quitting because you are not seeing much reward, but don’t! You will know soon enough what impacts that you are making in the world. Be faithful in the meantime to what God is telling you to do, even if it seems small.

Meditate: But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:7

Keep going on the path that God has laid out before you.

Counselor’s Corner: Motivating yourself on the Days You just Don’t Feel Motivated

Some days we are just not as motivated as other days. There are days we get up and are ready to tackle the world, and there are other days we would rather crawl back in the bed. Where I live we have had record breaking cold, snow and ice for days and I have been feeling a bit sluggish and just wanting to stay in the bed under my warm covers. I am a runner, but I have found it most difficult to find the motivation to go out in the blistering cold and run for miles while my fingertips and toes feel frozen. It has taken me about 20 minutes each time this week to get layered to go out and run. My joints were stiffer when I went out running in the cold. Needless to say I was not feeling motivated to run!

I am also a published author and writer, and I need to be motivated to promote my book and to find the creativity to write daily. It has just been one of those days. I woke up to freezing cold weather again this morning and did not run but walked very quickly halfway around my neighborhood. I came back after my short walk and sat at my computer hoping the words would come for my writing today. They did not! I got up from my computer a couple of hours later after making no real progress and asked myself a few questions why I was not feeling motivated and what could I do about it, if anything.

►What can you do if you just are not feeling motivated:

1)      Scan your body. Are you feeling tired, sick, and/or is it that ‘time of the month” for women.

2)      Be aware of your thoughts. Take an inventory of what you are saying to yourself or allowing into your mind.

3)      Are you taking regular breaks during your day? Take small breaks at least every 2 hours, especially if you work at a desk. Get up during those times and take a walk or make a cup of tea. Nature can be all you need to get motivated.

4)      Connect with others who can motivate and encourage you. If you don’t have a strong support system that does this for you, allow God to be your encourager. Realize others won’t always be around to motivate you, so you must learn to motivate yourself. The most successful people know how to motivate themselves.

5)      If you have one “off day” where your motivation is low, realize that is normal and start again the next day. Don’t give up if you have one or two days of a lack of motivation.

6)      Don’t wait to feel motivated to get started, get started anyways and it is likely the motivation will catch up.

7)      If you’re lacking motivation because of a big project ahead, take small steps towards your project. Just make small steps forward everyday towards your goals.

8)      Distractions can cause you not to feel as motivated. Put your smart phone in another room or on silent, shut your office door and keep on schedule as much as possible.

9)      Declutter your workspace. A cluttered office or home can contribute to a lack of motivation.

10)  Remember your former successes and reflect on that you can achieve great things. Celebrate all your successes, small and large.

11)  Depression saps motivation and especially in the winter months where the majority of people are not getting enough sunlight to boost those feel-good neurotransmitters in our brains. Exercising will release feel-good neurotransmitters that will enhance your motivation.

12)  Read books, listen to podcasts or watch videos of people who motivate and inspire you.  

Any other suggestions how to motivate yourself? I would love to hear from you!  

►For practical help in how disciplining your mind can help with improving your motivation, check out my latest book release, “Disciplining your mind, 30 days to a better you!”

Counselor's Corner: Understanding Mental and Emotional Stability

Spiritual maturity and emotional maturity go hand-in-hand; you cannot have one without the other. Emotional health involves knowing your limits, and not reacting act of emotions to circumstances. Everyone has limits, and it is wise to know yours.

Have you ever began your morning and said something like this, “Today, I will not let the enemy kill the joy and peace I desire to have.” Then something happens in your day and you feel emotionally drained. What happened? Reaction to circumstances. The enemy set you up by “baiting” you with people and circumstances that are difficult, stressful, and overwhelming. The enemy hopes we will react in our emotions, because this will usually lead us into sin. We are not to be led by our emotions and feelings; they are deceitful and constantly changing. We will encounter trials, stress and difficult people, but we must take a step back, go and pray, and be still and quiet as we wait for God’s intervention.

Some key factors that you are at your limit emotionally:

Emotions are running high.

Stress and/or fatigue.

Short temper.

Lack of grace and patience.

It is important to know if you have experienced emotional trauma and stress, so that you can heal and know how to deal properly in certain situations. Emotional trauma and stress can happen once or it can be a series of stressful events. If that is something you have endured, it is likely you will have a high stress/emotional response to current stressful situations. Is it hopeless? No, with acknowledging your hurt, facing the truth of your limits, and totally relying on God’s help and healing; there is hope.

People are more likely to be traumatized by stressful events if they are already under a heavy load. Childhood trauma can increase the risk of future trauma, and the way we deal and process stressful events. Emotional stress can be detrimental to your health and well-being. Find out what is causing your mental and emotional instability, and begin being proactive and make needed changes to your life. Your body is not able to defend itself against emotional stress, which in turn triggers mental and emotional instability.

Causes of emotional trauma and stress:

It happened unexpectedly.

You were unprepared for it.

You were powerless to prevent it.

It happened repeatedly (exposure to continued stressful situations).

It happened in childhood.

As Christians, we should make it a priority to have mental and emotional stability, but we may need to first understand what is causing it and what actions need to be taken to deal effectively with current and past stressors. What has occurred in the past as a stressful event can still cause us to react emotionally if we are continually exposed to that stressor. Know your triggers and past hurts, and how they could still be triggering an emotional response currently. If you experience frequent ups and downs emotionally, it is time to examine why and seek God for intervention; it is not His will for you to live unstable emotionally.

Having a better balance on your emotions will cause you to feel better physically and to have an increase in energy. It is time to ask yourself,” What am I expending my emotional energy on?” Remember, the enemy knows what will cause you to react and to get upset. Having emotional stability will enable you to peacefully and calmly go through difficult situations. Emotional stability does not mean suppressing your emotions, but controlling them.

A hallmark of a mentally and emotionally stable person is the ability to control one’s emotions.

Keys to mental and emotional stability:

First, admit your limits. What you can and cannot handle. Be okay with that, and don’t compare what other people can endure.

Recognize the people that deplete your energy, are unhealthy, and cause you stress. You may want to reevaluate your time and exposure to them.

Don’t take on more than you can handle; whether at work, ministry, church, or family.

Learn to say, “No,” when you are feeling stressed, tired, sick, or just need some alone time with yourself or God.

Don’t take on other’s issues, problems, or stress. We can pray for people, but we cannot do for others if we ourselves are depleted.

Do not react to your feelings or emotions. Pray first.

Exercise, eat healthy, and maintain a trustworthy/healthy support system.

Journal by processing your pent-up feelings, and talk to God about your deepest concerns.

Understanding that if you are mentally and emotionally unstable, it is likely you have endured some emotional/psychological trauma and stress, and that you need God’s help to overcome these damaged emotions. Don’t be hard on yourself, if you have emotional instability, but recognize that there is hope and a way to cope effectively.

1 Peter 5:8-9, Teaches us to be well-balanced and temperate (self-controlled) to keep satan from devouring us.

Psalm 94:13, God wants to give us power to stay calm in adversity.

Daily Encouragement: Listen When Your Body is Saying to Rest

In our fast past culture, being busy is a mark of success. But is it really? Being busy and on the go all the time can create havoc on your physical bodies. Not getting the proper amounts of down time can cause stress and a decrease in your immune system. If you are under any additional stress in your life, then taking time to rest your body will be essential; otherwise your body will cause you to rest.

If you have any chronic stress in your life, taking sufficient times of rest can help rebuild your energy levels and aid in strengthening your immune system. In our society we are not taught that rest is good, in fact, we are encouraged to “burn the candle at both ends.” Life is short no matter how many years that you live. You can work constantly and never take vacation time and you can stay so busy with outside activities that the day is just a blur. What’s the point in working so hard you can’t enjoy the simple things in life? For more money, a better title/position, or to get the applaud of others? There usually is a time in everyone’s life that you have to work hard such as when you are in college and have to work full-time, and sometimes people have to work two jobs because they are a single parent. I am not referring to people who are in the “you gotta do what you gotta do,” phase in their life, but for people who never, ever rest. Even when you are in a stage in your life that is hectic, you can still carve sometime for rest. We all get time off, but many use their time off unwisely by running and doing when they may need to rest. Yes, there are times that you can “play hard,” just not when your body is saying, “I feel tired.” Many push themselves and their limits and end up getting sick.

Your life should be balanced. Equal amounts of time for work, play and rest. Some days you may need a little more rest because of persistent stressors that can exhaust your energy levels and diminish your immune system’s ability to fight colds and viruses.

Reflect and ponder:

Do you push yourself to keep going and doing when your body is telling you it needs rest? Why do you believe you feel the need to keep going?

Counselor’s Corner:

Your body will let you know when it needs rest. If you have experienced several of the following, your body may be saying, “Slow down.”

·        Fatigue. Difficulty getting up in the morning

·        Difficulty staying or falling asleep

·        Difficulty concentrating

·        Distracted and lose of focus

·        Irritable, short-fused, or agitated

·        Upset stomach

·        Headaches

·        General malaise

·        Easily frustrated

·        Appetite changes-decrease or increase in eating habits

·        Sighing frequently

·        Shortness of breath

·        Anxiousness

·        Depression

·        Loss of motivation

·        Lack of creativity

What can you do during your times of rest?

1.      Turn off your cell phone and check at the end of the day.

2.      Do not engage in social media. Checking your Facebook status will not cause you to rest.

3.      Lay down and take a nap.

4.      Watch a movie that is enjoyable and eat your favorite snack.

5.      Take a warm bubble bath.

6.      Take a leisurely walk in your neighborhood.

7.      Get your chores out of the way so you don’t do any chores during your time of rest.

8.      Read a good book.

9.      Spend quiet time with God. Be still and listen for the Holy Spirit to speak.

10.  Spend time just “soaking” with worship music.

11.  Sit outside and observe God’s beautiful creations.

What not to do when your body needs rest:

1.      Running to and fro when your body is depleted.

2.      Hanging out with people who drain you.

3.      Checking your phone, texts, emails, and social media.

4.      Doing heavy chores or chores that take a while to complete.

5.      Worrying and analyzing your problems over and over.

6.      Doing anything that would cause stress.