Studies have found the benefits of prayer include a sense of calmness, encouragement, support, reflection, a broader perspective, hope, comfort, knowing oneself, and possibilities.  Current research suggests that it has a positive effect on our immune system functioning as well.
You make your way to the reception desk and a friendly innkeeper says, “Welcome Traveler. Do you require a blanket or a sword?”
It’s not the question you were expecting, and your face betrays your confusion. Fortunately, the innkeeper is extremely perceptive and broadens their question. “Which do you need most right now, Friend? Do you need a blanket – the comfort of a soft chair, a hot meal, and a listening ear, so that you can vent your troubles, or do you require a sword – the solution to a problem?”
On the surface, it’s a simple question, and yet, these two choices – blanket or sword – embody the most important ways we communicate as caregivers.
Sometimes knowing that all of that is coming up, you lose your motivation and find yourself in a bit of a funk. Who’s got time for holidays now? Prior proper prudent planning will help you relieve stress almost every time. Not every day will go according to plan, though I wish it would, so the more planning you can do, the less likely you’ll fall off your balance rocker.
We can’t close our eyes or ears to what is happening in the world around us, but changing our reactions is possible. What you give yourself is a crucial ingredient in creating change and making a positive impact both in your life and the world at large.
Overwhelm can cause mistakes. Slowing down a bit avoids pitfalls (as much as possible). Those thoughts are worth much more than mere pennies if they are cared for properly – just don’t let them swamp you. When you multi-task, although it seems like you’ll get more done, you actually lose productivity by dividing your attention.
