Don’t let anxiety consume you. It will bring about mental stress. Anxiety is a form of worrying about what is going to happen in the future, such as worrying about meeting goals at work or following through on commitments to loved ones. Anxiety is a normal human emotion, but too much worrying can be harmful to your mental and physical health.
It is good to have goals for the future and plans to reach them. But it is not good to dwell in negativity, worrying about all the possibilities of things that could go wrong. For example, planning a dream vacation should be fun. But for some people, it is very stressful. Finding a hotel that meets your needs and budget can be challenging, and worrying about the costs of travel can add to the stress. If you are planning on driving to your destination, you may also be concerned about traffic, road conditions, and the possibility of car trouble.
There are many other things in life that lead to stress, including anxiety on the job. All of us at one point or another have experienced stress at work whether it be meeting a deadline or completing a project on budget. It is important to find ways to mitigate the level of anxiety you experience. Hobbies can provide a distraction from your worries and can help you to focus on something else. Find a hobby that you enjoy and that helps you to relax.
Leaders can have an enormous amount of anxiety that leads to stress due to trying to meet the expectations of others, including themselves. For example, leaders are expected to do extraordinary things on a regular basis in an organization, especially in these times of great uncertainty, and as such, their anxiety can at times be at a high stress level.
One of the most important things the Bible tells us about stress is that we should not try to handle it all on our own. The Biblical writer Peter said, “Cast all your anxieties on the Lord, for he cares about you.” God wants us to bring our worries to him, because he loves us and cares about what is happening in our lives.
The message to all of us and especially to those who are leaders is not to get too stressed out worrying about things in the future that may or may not happen. And Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Dr. Walter Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
