Thursday's Therapy - "10 Coping Strategies for the Frazzled Woman" ~Cindy Bultema

Thursday's Therapy

10 Coping Strategies for the Frazzled Woman 

~Cindy Bultema

Posted on May 15, 2013

10 Coping Strategies for the Frazzled Woman

Would you believe of the thousands of blog entries I’ve written, this simple post has had “way” more visits than any other (we’re talking 5 big digits!). Since “May Madness” has struck, perhaps you too are feeling a bit frazzled. Enjoy! 

Hey Friends ~

I’ll be painfully honest…it’s been a tough week.

I’d love to tell you my week has been filled with family fun, creativity, warm fuzzies and snuggle time ~ but this mama is struggling. Big time.

I keep saying to John, “Why do my feelings still get hurt so easily?”, “When am I going to grow past this?” ”What do I do with these feelings?”

Yesterday I was listening to a powerful teaching and a gifted teacher said these 4 words that have rocked my world ~ “….YOU CANNOT SELECTIVELY NUMB…..”.

If we numb the hurt, the pain, the fear and the insecurities ~ we also numb our joy, our love, our happiness, our peace.

And friends, I refuse to live numb. I will feel the feelings…even if it hurts. 

Can anyone else relate??

You may remember, last year one of my precious little ones was meeting with a therapist for some extra help. She spent one session learning “coping strategies” ~ her mini toolbox of tips to pull from when she’s faced with a difficult situation.

Thankfully one of her assignments was to copy the strategies and hang them all over the house. They are still hanging! This week I decided I need to revisit them and put them back to use in my life too!!!

**Here are my Top Ten Coping Strategies for the Frazzled Woman**

(adopted from my daughter’s list)

1. Deal with your feelings

It’s ok (and very helpful/healthy) to share, “I feel……”.

Our feelings are our feelings and we need to get them out in healthy, safe ways. And yes, we use the feelings chart in our home (a lot!). Unfortunately this Mama has forgotten that her feelings matter too.

How are YOU feeling today???

2. Think about the good side

Today I’m choosing to think on thoughts that are good, healthy and positive. Philippians 4:8 (MSG) has been wonderful to reflect on…

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious–the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.

3. Focus on what can and can’t be changed

We can’t change people, their responses, or the pain they are dealing with and their unhealthy reactions….but we can change how we respond and what we do with our feelings.

4. Nobody’s perfect

That’s freeing, isn’t it? I don’t have to be a perfect mom/wife/woman (and you don’t either!)

5. Take a break.

What a good reminder during the busy Spring season. We can’t (do) everything. Someone else can drive on the field trip or bring the cookies for the parent meeting. The emails can wait. Moms need breaks too.

6. One step at a time

7. Take care of yourself.

This week I went to the gym 2 nights after I tucked the kids in. Of course, they whine “Don’t leave me. I can’t sleep if you’re not here.” (Good grief. Their dad is home. All is well). 

I went anyway, and let me tell you I felt VICTORIOUS! It ’s great to model “Mom needs to take care of herself too.”

How will you take care of yourself today???

8. Plan ahead

I’m learning that it is very helpful to plan ahead, but then to hold the plan loosely. Life happens.

But if I plan ahead and think about, for example, what I will feed my family at 6 PM ~ it sure helps alleviate a lot of chaos in the home (and then I end up ordering pizza. again.)

9. Ask for help

Aren’t you glad we don’t have to journey alone? Who are your 3 people that you could call at 4 AM in the morning and they’d help you in a heartbeat? We all need those people!

10. Pray! (Added by me!)

After my ”mini meltdown” this week, it was GREAT to go to the coffee shop yesterday for 3 hours and just pray, lifting all of my concerns/needs/worries to God! I’m leaning hard on Him and His Word as I learn how to “cope” with these “tight spots” in life!

How about for you? What coping strategies do you have in your “tool belt”? How do you live “frazzle free”?

I’d love to hear from you!

Thanks for stopping by *She Sparkles*!

May your week be filled with love, real face to face connections, joy and oodles of peace!

P.S. One of my good friends (and graphic designers) turned this “coping strategies” list into a pdf file. If you’d like a copy, send me your email to cindy.bultema@gmail.com and I’ll send a copy to you!

~Cindy Bultema

Article:
http://www.cindybultema.com/2013/05/15/10-coping-strategies-for-the-frazzled-woman/

Feelings Chart, from
feelings-chart-godvertiser-dot-com