Strategy Review #2

Strategy #20: Go walking

“The walk is likely to be helpful if we use the time to enjoy God’s world. The time is likely to be unproductive if we mentally heap hot coals upon our children’s heads. … As our focus turns from our irritation to our blessings, we are likely to have more helpful perspective.”

Sometimes it is helpful to step away from the situation and allow our minds to turn towards something else. I know that when I am feeling especially frustrated or upset, removing myself from the situation and getting out, helps me refocus my heart and mind. Even if I need to take my girls with me, just being away from where the problems were occurring (most often at home), brings me peace, and renews my energy, thus enabling me to interact more effectively with my children (and my husband).

Strategy #13: Breathe deeply

“Some people us a mindfulness of breathing as part of meditation. It can turn us from fretting to relaxing. It can help us resist anger.”

This strategy really compliments strategy #20. While going walking, I find it calming, and re-centering to breathe deeply. It helps me relax and turn my thoughts and feelings from anger, frustrations and irritations, and then return to the situation and take a more gentle approach in dealing with the issues.