MY BLOGS

To summarize Part 1 we talked about identifying and acknowledging the stressors and emotions associated with our battles ̶ reminding ourselves that although these negative thoughts and emotions are normal, we can overcome any obstacles.

In Part 2 we discussed how to calm our minds in the midst of countless, turbulent thoughts by standing strong against our fears, choosing to control our thoughts, and replacing our unhealthy thoughts with what is pure, good, and worthy of praise.

I lived a hurried life, speeding through life at a hundred miles per hour. Everything I engaged in was quick and fast. On the contrary my dear Hubby is calm and collective with a much slower rhythm in life. He has always lovingly reminded me: Please, just slow down to a blur so I could see you.

But how do I slow down and calm my body when the storms and the winds of adversity threaten to blow me over? How do I control the physical effect of fears on my body?

I recently watched a Golf tournament where the playing conditions were cold and stormy with wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour. All the golfers faced the same treacherous conditions in addition to the media and spectators. It was interesting to see how the individuals’ performances differed under the same conditions. Some would be distracted by leaves and debris blown into their focus area while trying to execute shots. Others seemed undisturbed by the windy conditions. Who was the tournament champion? The golfer who was not thinking about his previous shot or the next but focus in the moment on the ball in front of him and execute the-best-of-his ability shot.

We win our battles by focusing on each moment, and we accomplish our goals one moment at a time. We need to apply the exact same principle when we have overwhelming thoughts, fears, and emotions

1. Stay in the moment like the golf champion. Right here, right now is where you can make a difference in your thinking process and current situation. Don’t wander into the future ̶ this can bring fear and anxiety. We find our wisdom in what Jesus said, “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”^[1] Don’t dwell on the past either, the past is history. We can’t undo anything in the past. The guilt and shame from the past weigh us down. The past and the future consume our energy, our attention, our time, and our minds, and we are unable to focus on the present. Be in the moment.

2. Execute what it in front of you in this moment. Focus on the task at hand. We all know the saying “If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing it well.” Dedicate your thoughts, attention, strength, energy, and time to the task at hand. Give it your best shot, because it is the only shot you have. Every moment executed well becomes an hour executed positively, and a day executed successfully flows into a fruitful lifetime.

3. Control and focus on your breathing. Have you ever noticed that the more stressed you are, the more shallow your breathing? In my deepest pain it felt like my breaths travelled between my nose and mouth and never dropped into my lungs. Sportsmen/women and public speakers know the value of proper breathing. Focusing on your breathing tends to make you breathe slower, deeper, and more deliberate. The result is more oxygen into your lungs. Increased oxygenated blood pumped to the muscles causes less tension, and reduced stress and pain in the shoulders, neck, and jaw. Anxiety levels decline, firing neurons calm down, and you slow down. Controlled breathing helps to sharpen your focus and to control your negative thoughts.

It is no “child’s play” to focus when my mind is firing a million neurons simultaneously, thousands of thoughts rushing through my mind, neck and shoulder muscles tighten, hands become sweaty, pain wells up in my chest and breathing becomes shallow. But, training my brain “muscles” to stay in the moment, focusing on executing the task at hand, and learning to breathe deeply are great tools to maintain my focus.

Always remember that learning is a process over time−we learn, execute, make mistakes, relearn and execute. Every time we execute our knowledge, our neural pathways and habits are being reinforced. Keep up the good work.

1. Matthew 6:34 (NLT)