♥ eileen babe bee ♥

Thursday, November 06, 2008 ' 8:58:00 AM .

unwell :(

:(
it seems like i am down with a flu,
not only that, i am having a spinning headache,
that makes me feels giddy & a bit like vomitting..
it started from yesterday,
lasted till this morning..
hope i'll get better soon,
drinking 100plus for some help.. hahas..

oh well, just want to say Thanks to JQ bao bei... :)
u've been a very nice sweetheart to me.. loves..

Which Is Your Leading Cause of Stress?

1. Finances

Most studies agree that finances are a leading cause of stress. In an online poll conducted in 2005 by LifeCare, Inc., 23 percent of respondents named finances as the leading cause of stress in their lives. Financial stress has led the list in many modern polls.

Some who name finances as the leading cause of stress cite major purchases they have to make, such as a home or car. Others are stressed by a loss of income, or mounting credit card debt. For some, financial stress will eventuate in bankruptcy. While college students stress over paying for an education, Baby Boomers and older senior citizens find that retirement income can be a major cause of stress.

2. Work

Closely tied to finances as a cause of stress is work. Our jobs or careers seem to cause constant stress. In the LifeCare poll, 21 percent of those responding listed this as the leading cause of stress in life.

How is the workplace a cause of stress? We worry about getting and keeping adequate employment. We worry about new types of work or new responsibilities. We struggle to climb a career ladder, overwhelmed by the demands. Work conditions may change, or we may have interpersonal trouble at work. Students, especially teenagers and college age students, cite school work as a cause of stress. Sometimes, work stress is brought on by others. Sometimes, we bring it on ourselves.

3. Family

Family, wonderful though each member may be, is also a leading cause of stress. Arguments erupt with a spouse or other family member. Parents divorce. Children marry. The ebb and flow of family life is filled with stress. A child moves out – an aging parent moves in.

Family health is also a leading cause of stress. A sick family member, a serious injury, pregnancy, miscarriage, or abortion all cause stress. Family changes of other kinds bring stress, too. Adoption, relocation, and job changes for just one family member can cause stress for all.

4. Personal Concerns

Personal concerns that are only indirectly created by others are another top cause of stress. Lack of control tops the list of personal concerns. Every human has a deep-seated desire for control over his or her own life. When control is weak or missing in a given area, we experience stress. To many people, a lack of control over their own time is a leading cause of stress. We want to determine when we do tasks around the home, or at work. Holding a job, participating in the children’s carpool to school, driving family to soccer practices, shopping, and scout meetings while trying to keep the household running can create major stress. You would like to control your time, rather than let others’ demands control it, but that is not always possible.

We may be involved in legal proceedings that cause stress. We may be wrestling with a bad habit. We may be going through changes. Personal change of any kind can be a cause of stress.

5. Personal Health and Safety

Most people find that personal health is a leading cause of stress. For some, the stress is linked to obesity, and a desire to lose weight. For others, the stress is a personal bas habit that affects health and must be changed. For example, smoking, abuse of alcohol or other drugs. Illness or injury, whether less or more serious, can be a leading cause of stress for many people. Incontinence can be an ongoing concern. Personal health is more or less stressful according to the degree of seriousness and our personal outlook on health.

Personal safety is also a leading cause of stress. Women, more than men, tend to stress about their own and others’ safety. Adults tend to stress more than young people, who may act invincible. Crime is a factor, as is

6. Personal Relationships

Whether it is a friendship, dating, separation, marriage, divorce, or re-marriage, a relationship can be a leading cause of stress for many. We all want love, and that is potentially available in relationships, but getting from A to B can be very stressful. Some resort to online relationships that are easier to handle. Others withdraw and become recluses. Either way, the demands on time, finances, and emotions can cause ongoing stress.

7. Death

Probably the most wrenching cause of stress is the death of a loved one or close friend. Even the death of a pet can be stressful. Children are always a source of stress for parents, but when a child dies, the stress is overwhelming. The same is true when a lifetime spouse passes on.

Win or Lose

Causes of stress change as we age. The stressed child who threw tantrums becomes a young student, stressed by the school bully. The young student becomes a teenager, stressed by acne, hormones, and dating. The teenager becomes a young adult trying to handle the stresses of leaving home, adjusting to college life, and managing finances. Life progresses to first jobs, marriage, children, and so on. Even if you move to a secluded cabin in the woods, stress will follow you.

Managing our Stress
Please realise this is not the whole answer, not even half the answer but just a few guidelines that might help:

1. Much stress is caused by our perception of a situation and our role in that situation. We often feel that we should be in control and when faced with circumstance beyond our control stress begins. We need to recognise that we cannot control everything in life but that God is in control. We should not forget that we are the sheep of his pasture, and that He is the good shepherd. Letting Jesus contol our lives does not mean that we can abdicate our responsibilities. There is a balance to be struck between personal responsibility and allowing God to be in control. The easy way to discover the difference in any situation, especially a stressful one, is to talk to Him about it. He is always there and always available. Often when I go to God with a stressful situation and my preconceived answer I find that I have a change of heart, and come away with a different perspective on the problem. In fact, I find sometimes it's not even my problem.

2. Another tip to manage the stress we experience is to plan "quality time", that is to plan time in our diary for one or more of the following:

Plan quality time with those you love. Spending a few hours with someone you love, a friend or spouse. Quality time is when the phone is turned off and you can talk and listen to each other, without interuption. Walk together and talk together, share a meal. Focus only on the other person,their feelings and their needs as they do the same. Make this time an oasis in your busy life.

Plan quality time to exercise. Arranging to play a sport with someone like tennis or jogging. Physical exercise is a good way to burn off the frustrations we experience from pressure situations. As we get older this time might not be as energetic as a full game of soccer, but if we can go for a walk daily or have fitness schedule we will appreciate the difference it will make.

Plan quality time for a hobby. This doesn't mean that you have to take up knitting but that is maybe just what you need. Something that is completely different to your daily routine. Go to night school to learn the hobby, maybe photography or medival history or computors. Don't limit yourself, why not learn to fly or sail or simply go fishing. A thing that I have never found particularly simple.

Plan quality times of silence. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life we need to plan for and cherish times of silence. Silence for me is a walk along the beach and watching the waves break upon the shore, or walking in the forest, just listening to the birds. Strangely enough the other main time of quality silence for me is laying on our lounge floor in the presence of God, maybe listening to the latest worship tape or in complete silence listening for Him. We are so good in our quite times at being active, reading our bibles and praying, both of which are an excellant beginning to the time of silence. But how often are we still before God. The Psalmist says (46:10 niv) "Be still and know that I am God" another version says "Stand silent" written over 2500 years ago it still makes perfect sense. Why not stop for a moment right now and just feel the peace of God in his creation, just in a simple waterfall.

3. Allow the love of God to disperse any anxiety driven pressure that cause stress warning responses. We can experience his love through the body of Christ, his church and through the word of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. The following few verses from Isaiah are a great comfort to my wife, why not allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the word of God to you and shed abroad the love of God in your heart. That perfect love that drives out fear.

Isaiah 43:1-3 But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour..."