Discovering YOU Magazine April 2018 Issue | Page 42

SPIRITUALITY AND FAITH

This can also lead to anxiety: persistent worry and fear, racing thoughts, anxiety attacks, fatigue, chest pain, difficulty breathing, sleep problems, and several other symptoms. I learned how to overcome trying to be perfect and learned self-care. My male family members slowed down and took better care of themselves as well. I hope this will help others who may suffer from stress, anxiety, and trying to be perfect. Here are more tips:

• Take one self-care a day.

• Recognize your human needs- refresh

your body, mind, spirit, and soul.

• Build your relationship with God,

John15:5.

• Reveal your humanness to others;

eliminate any pretense of perfection.

• Do your best and leave the rest to God.

• Remember God is in control of our

lives.

• We need to make ourselves

accountable to trusted individuals

• Go for “Good enough”.

• Realize that you hurt yourself and the

people around you by buying into

myths of perfection.

• Accept that you are human and so is

everyone else.

• Compare yourself to yourself and not

others.

• Reduce or cutting out the sources that

try to reinforce perfectionism in you.

• Spend less time with nervously

perfectionistic people.

I also found an exercise you can do for stress and anxiety.

1. Stop for ten minutes and breathe for a solid two minutes of those ten with your eyes closed.

2. Next make a list of all the important areas of your life (family, job, friends, travel, etc.)

3. Draw a circle and divide it up like a pie chart according to how much each area is taking up your life.

4. Now draw another circle and divide it up according to how you would ideally like your life to be.

Francine Houston is the author of "Lupus Journey" and she has a number of businesses: Cineik Media, FH DESIGNS , and It Works. Francine is also a graduate of

School of the Bible 2 (2013 ).

Email Francine at [email protected].