Dear Kimberly,

Have you ever felt like you're holding your breath through life? Racing from one task to the next, caught in a cycle that leaves your shoulders tight, your sleep scattered, and your soul weary?

You’re not alone.
And you’re not imagining it—stress is real, and it’s taking a toll.

What Is Stress, Really?

We often think of stress as a feeling, but it's actually a full-body response. The American Psychological Association defines stress as “The physiological or psychological response to internal or external stressors. Stress involves changes affecting nearly every system of the body, influencing how people feel and behave.”

It might show up as a racing heart, shallow breathing, digestive issues, trouble sleeping, chronic fatigue, or heightened emotions. It’s estimated that 70% of primary care visits are stress-related, and many of these issues present with measurable physical symptoms.

Internal stress could be self-pressure gremlins like perfectionism or your perception of not being good enough. Examples of external stress are illness, finances, life change, relational strain or emotional triggers.

But not all stress is bad as we touched on last week.

Stress can motivate us to grow and take action. However, when it goes unchecked—or when we face constant demands without recovery—it turns from helpful to harmful. That’s when we land on Pain Island:

• Chronic stress fuels inflammation, a key contributor to pain, weight gain, fatigue, and chronic illness.
• It can worsen high blood pressure, heart disease, and digestive disorders.
• It can also mimic or mask anxiety or depression, which need to be addressed with care and professional support.

Let’s be clear on this:

• Stress is your body’s short-term response to pressure.
• Anxiety is a persistent, future-oriented tension or fear.
• Depression is a loss of interest or hope that affects your ability to function.
  If you're unsure what you're facing, please don’t guess—reach out to a professional who can help. 

What Is Stress Management?

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine includes stress management as one of the 6 pillars for whole-person healing. The goal isn’t to remove all stress, but to “develop healthy coping skills that meet life’s ever-changing demands and bolster our resilience”—mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

This means tuning into your body and emotions, not tuning out and overriding your body signals. It is creating rhythms of rest, and cultivating resilience—not just for ourselves, but for the people we serve and love.

It’s the process of building practices into your life that move you from Pain Island (where inflammation and disconnection reign) to Pleasure Island—where your mind, body, and spirit are restored so you can:
✔ Sleep better
✔ Move without pain
✔ Think clearly
✔ Serve joyfully
✔ Enjoy time with others
✔ Worship and work with energy and peace

Simple Tips to Begin Managing Stress Naturally:

• Reduce multitasking—one thing at a time.
• Minimize distractions (media, phones, watches) when you’re trying to focus.
• Prioritize quality sleep.
• Choose whole foods that nourish, not inflame.
• Move daily—walk, stretch, dance, play.
• Spend time in nature.
• Create margin for joyful, creative, or restorative activities.
• Don’t isolate—connect face-to-face with people who uplift you.
• Know when to ask for help—there is no shame in reaching out.

Stress management isn’t about doing more—it’s about choosing differently. Aligning your life with a rhythm for your body and soul is an act of stewardship.

My Story: Relearning Rest in a Restless World

Like many of you, I’ve gone through seasons of change and loss—and I’ve noticed that stress shows up in my body before I even name it.

I find myself clenching my jaw.
My digestion slows.
I either forget to eat or reach for quick fixes that don’t nourish.
My sleep becomes restless, and my thoughts get tangled in loops.

That’s when I know it’s time to slow down.

For me, nature and creativity are sacred tools.
A walk on the beach.
A quiet bike ride on a rail trail.
Spotting deer or bird watching.
Singing in the car. Dancing in the living room with only our cats as an audience.
Writing these letters—sharing stories, truths, and hope.

Even acts of service can reset my heart.
When I shift focus from myself to someone else’s need, it creates space for peace to re-enter.

These are not escapes—they’re ways I re-center and let God meet me right where I am.

A Sacred Invitation

If this sounds familiar—if you feel weary, stretched, or like you’ve lost yourself in the shuffle—know this:

• Stress is a signal, not a weakness.
• There are tools to help you heal.
• You don’t have to figure it out alone.

We were not created to live burned out, breathless, or bracing for the next hit.
We were made for service that flows from wholeness—for health that lets us show up fully at home, at church, and in the calling on our lives.

I’d be honored to walk with you on that journey.

You can schedule a free Find Your Energy Discovery Session. If you are wanting to find out a what lifestyle medicine is about or perhaps would like to refer someone you can schedule a virtual coffee chat or we can meet for a local coffee chat. You can also explore more at: www.hopeandhealinglifestyle.com

With pause and presence,
Kim

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” – Maya Angelou