15 Jan A message from Mrs. Samuels – Motivational Thursday
“You are the only one responsible for how you prepare and respond to stress.”
Motivation Thursdays with Mrs. Samuels
January 13, 2022
Hi,
I know it’s been a while and I’ve missed our weekly chats, so today I am back and want to share a few things with you. It’s no secret that stress and tension are mounting, and I thought it’d be a good idea to talk about it before you have to start making apologies for what you said or did while STRESSED.
You are the only one responsible for how you prepare and respond to stress. Three things I want you to consider:
You are More than your Job Title.
A common indicator that a romantic relationship is struggling is when one or both partners forget who they were before they were a partner. Usually, the individual you were was what made you attractive to the other person. Your individuality allowed you to bring something of interest to the table.
This can include how you cared for yourself, hobbies, passions, values, and character. Oftentimes, people lose who they are and begin to identify only as a partner. When you stop doing the things that made you YOU, you stop bringing value to the table. This same concept can be applied to your career. When you put your whole self into your career, you stop bringing value to the table.
Think back to what your life looked like before the pandemic. What things did you do on a regular basis that you don’t do now? What did you do on your own time to bring value to what you do at work? If you find yourself leaving work only to come home and continue to do work, think about work, stress about work…you’ve lost your identity.
You are more than your title. Historically, Covid has shown up each day for almost 2 years. I promise if you take a little bit of time each day to invest in you, not only will Covid still be there, but you will be meeting it and all it brings, with something of value. You are MORE than your title.
How are you Showing Up?
At some point you sat in front of a panel of individuals with the sole purpose of convincing them you were the right fit for the job. You likely described your best qualities, (communication skills, organized, works well under pressure, effective decision making skills, leadership skills, high integrity, reliable, honest, a team player, and so on).
When you look at yourself today, yesterday, last week, are you a reflection of the person you described? How are you showing up right now? The only way to show up as the person you described, in all situations, is to remember who you were that day. If you are not taking the time to pour into yourself, you are allowing yourself to reflect a different character. You and only you are responsible for how YOU show up.
Prepare.
How do you show up? You prepare. Invest in non-working relationships. A text, a phone call, a dinner. We were created for relationships, it is what connects and rewards us. Sleep, put away your phone, silence notifications, remove anything that keeps you “alert”.
Nourish your body with healthy food, movement, and hydration. Take the time to eat a meal without looking at your phone or computer. Play with your children. Pursue your spouse or partner. Make time for your hobbies and passions. All of these things contribute to your best qualities.
How are you preparing to be a reflection of who you described some time ago? Everyone is experiencing stress right now. And when stress is high, emotions are even higher. The only way to address the stress and become less emotional, is to prepare. Prepare yourself with enough healthy things so there’s space to handle the difficult things.
I appreciate you,
Mrs. Samuels
Amanda Samuels, LMFT
Other Motivation Thursdays Articles by Mrs. Samuels
• 5 Habits That High Achievers Should Break
• “I’d agree with you but then we’d both be wrong.”
• “Sit with your anger long enough until it tells you its real name.”
• “Stay in your lane… if you want to come into mine, please signal your intentions.”
• “This is from Billy, not Amanda (Full Disclosure).”
• Survival Mode is part of what we go through in this life at times
• Not winning, especially if this is how the news is broken to you about your couch!
• Motivational Change vs. Behavioral Change
• “Your emotions are valid, your reaction to your emotions might not be.”