After the passing of her brother, Janet Birkey felt the desire to live her life as he did: with joy and full of things that would bring her happiness. She always knew she wanted to go back to school to finish her degree, and went on to finish her bachelor’s degree and to get her master’s and a doctorate in counseling.
On this episode we talk with Janet about stress and learn better ways to handle it. We are constantly introducing things that are stressful in our lives, and then there’s one stress that comes, that maybe isn’t a great big event, but then all of a sudden we’re overwhelmed. You’ll hear about Janet’s #1 stressor (here’s a hint: he’s 70 pounds of love, teeth and lacks boundaries)
In addition to what she shares with us in this podcast, Janet has offered everyone FREE access to her audio course
“Better Than Counting to 10” You can grab your copy right here: Better Than Counting to 10 Audio Course
There are so many physical signs that can show us that we are under too much stress:
Getting more headaches than usual
We don’t have as much energy
Prone to anger of irritability
How is our sleep?
Stomach issues
Heartburn
Digestive issues
It’s really important for us to share the stress that we’re under so people around us can understand what we’re going through.
A phrase that Janet uses with her dog Max that is applicable in her counseling life is “Leave it!” When we get distracted by things that other people are doing that shouldn’t affect us, just mentally say, “leave it!” and keep on walking. Not everything deserves the depth of attention that we are giving it.
It’s very hard to develop an attitude of appreciation and gratitude if you can’t let go of the things that bother you.
Stress is not a cause, it is a symptom.
What is one thing we can do today, to lower our stress?
Sit down at the end of the day and say, what was I grateful for today?
Ask yourself, “what are some reachable things that I can do that bring fun and creativity to my life?”
It’s not about being perfect, it’s about getting better:
Imagine
Meaning
Prayer
Relaxation
One Thing in the Moment
Vacation
Encouragement
