Stress, Stress, Stress

Around 3 weeks ago I moved back to Grace. About 2 weeks ago I started classes. And since then, I've slowly been getting more and more stressed. Now I know what you're thinking- Emily, you're a college student and you have anxiety, wouldn't you expect to feel stressed? Well, yeah. However, it's not really about being stressed. It's about how you handle being stressed. And let's just say I haven't been handling my stress well lately.

Starting my third year of college has seemed harder than the past two years. I don't know exactly why this is but one reason could be the fact that I got a little carried away with signing up for things. Now, I knew what I was getting myself into and I knew I would be a little more stressed this year but I knew I could handle things pretty well. However, I kind of proved myself wrong and after a little breakdown and wake up call this past weekend, I realized not only was I not taking good care of myself but I was neglecting priorities in my life such as my faith and relationships. 

With all that being said, I just wanted to write a blog post about what's been going on in my life and hoping someone else who may read this feels the same way and now knows they aren't alone. You are never truly alone in life, especially in your struggles. I know going forward I have a lot of work to do with how I prioritize things in my life and making sure I give myself time for rest and self-care. During times like this, I constantly remind myself that God is in control and He is all I need in my life. It's ok if I turn in an assignment in late if it means I take extra time to take care of myself. It's ok if I disappoint someone by not showing up to an event or if I need to reschedule a meeting. 

It is ok to not be perfect and let others see that. 

While working on things for the Women's Ministries program I help lead on campus this week, I was reminded of our theme verse which reads, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:50) God is always with us in our times of despair and He alone will give us strength. What a freeing feeling it is to know that we don't have to do everything on our own!

I hope this post gave you some encouragement and motivation to keep moving forward! Feel free to send this to someone you know who may also be feeling stressed-to-the-max. 

-e.k.