Karen's Thoughts on Stress Free Living:
Stop Depression Before it Starts

Integrate these four steps into your thoughts on stress free living

1. purpose: the foundation



2. plan: the framing



3. priorities: the function



4. pacing: the fullfillment

If you're leaving on a trip, it's pretty important to know where you're headed. That is how we arrived at these thoughts on stress free living.

Destination: heart comfort and soul peace

You have to know your destination in order to plan.

You can't pack your clothes, buy your ticket, plan your route, or reserve a hotel until you know where you're going!

So it is with life. Even though clinical depression is primarily biochemical in nature, these practical thoughts on stress free living practices make depression treatment more effective and symptoms less disabling.

Stress management, or life management for that matter, starts with a purpose or destination.

Foundation of Stress Free Living :
Purpose

• it is like going to the airport without knowing what plane to catch.
• it is like driving the car without knowing which direction to take.
• it is like trying to find a recipe when you don't know what you want to bake.
• it is like choosing something to wear when you don't know where you're going.

Are you getting the idea? How can we live a "productive" life if we don't even know what the "product" is?

• Useful thoughts on stress free living consider purpose built on your values, beliefs and world view. What are you committed to?

What do you believe, why do you believe, and how do your beliefs stand up to challenge?

Do you live out your thoughts on stress free living, walk where you talk?

Would you teach these values to your children?

Would you defend your beliefs to others?

Would you stand on your beliefs and values even if you had no evidence to prove they were solid?

• Purpose is probably connected to your passions - what are your thoughts on stress free living as it applies to passion for life?

How would you spend your time if you could choose from anything?

How would you spend your money?

What would you sacrifice in order to be true to your values?

What kind of work fits into your thoughts on stress free living?

• Purpose depends on your abilities, those you have now or those you can develop.
  

  What gifts or talents do you possess?
  

  What do people ask about your thoughts on stress free living?
  

  What do you find relaxing?
  

  What do you find energizing?
  

  What do you want to learn more about?

You can find motivation and inspiration to help you develop your purpose and explore more thoughts on stress free living.
Fulfillment in your personal and business goals reduces and eliminates unnecessary stress.

You can actually enjoy life and success.

Framing of Stress Free Living:
Plan

Thinking of the journey metaphor, this step is like the itinerary for the vacation.

Consider a life without a plan:

• there is no blueprint for action.



• there is no logical sequence of activity.



• there is nothing to continue to build on, the foundation is laid, but that is as far as it goes.



• no growth occurs.

How do we put that solid foundation to use? We need a plan. We can prevent unnecessary stress with good planning.

What better place to begin than with your educational future? Check out Clarice Dankers at her site College Mentor for all sorts of resources for college planning and support.

We need a blueprint for stress free living. Our thoughts on stress free living should include strong beliefs, weight bearing values and safe construction.

Function of Stress Free Living:
Priorities

• Plans are constructed from what we are willing to give up for what we want.

What you really want in life?

What are you willing to do without?

Do your decisions reflect your values?

How are your money and time being spent, invested?

What do you tend to, what do you leave untended?

• A plan is maintained with boundaries




Do you stick to your plan?

Do your thoughts on stress free living translate into action or do they get easily derailed?

Do you get back on track easily?

• A plan depends on consistent effort.

How hard do you work on your plan?

How consistently do you work?

Do you ask for help when you have difficulty with a part of your plan?

Fulfillment of Stress Free Living :
Pacing

It's about staying the course. And it's about finishing what you start.

An unfinished life is like a house without a roof, a trip without arrival. It is like going around in circles, re-inventing the wheel, the comparisons are endless.

The finish work on this project is pacing. Life is a work in progress, and, much like remodeling a home, there is always something more to do. New thoughts on stress free living are generated from new experiences. We learn as we go.

There are always improvements to be made. There is maintenance to be done, to keep the constructed parts in good working order.

• Pacing is built on patience. Pacing your activity requires discipline.
  
  You have to keep going when the going gets rough.
  
  You have to change "it can't be done" to "how can it be done"
  
  Sometimes it is hard to slow down, other times it is hard to get going.



• Pacing is connected to balance between work and play.
  
  We need recreation breaks from the mental and physical challenges of work to refresh our perspective .



• Pacing is dependent on resilience in the face of change, loss and failure.



• Growing from our losses, failures and changes, develops the ability to 'bounce back' in times of adversity.



• Pacing is maintained by periodic review, a fresh start, fresh infusion of hope, joy, love, and worth, from an infinite source.

  New thoughts on stress free living evolve when we connect to a spiritual source. The choice we make is critical to maintaining ongoing mental health and a truly stress free life.

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Blessings to you,Karen

Ways to Manage Stress