Practical Peace

Practical Peace

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

Psalm 23:2

Are there practical ways to build more peace into our lives—things we can do to alleviate the stress and tension we feel? Happily, there are. You have probably considered several of these ideas already. If so, take this opportunity to review the options and then try a few.

• Don’t bottle up your concerns. Instead, connect with friends who are able to provide a listening ear.
• Limit your caffeine and sugar consumption.
• Soothe yourself with a cup of tea. Green tea and black tea contain theanine, a substance that may have a calming effect.
• Distract yourself by cooking a nice meal.
• Drink a warm glass of milk. Milk contains tryptophan, a substance that can calm you.
• Eat a little dark chocolate.
• Hire help.
• Take a bike ride.
• Play with a pet.
• Go outside for a few minutes every day.
• Take a bath with lavender bath salts or oil.
• Watch a funny movie.
• Dedicate one evening a week to do something simply because you enjoy it.
• Lie down and begin tensing and then relaxing your muscles, starting with your toes and working your way up to your neck and head. Tense each muscle group for five seconds and then relax for thirty.

None of this is rocket science. That’s the advantage. The psalmist’s vision of green meadows and peaceful streams isn’t just about heaven. We can begin to taste God’s rest right now. Adopting a few simple practices may be what you need to ratchet down your stress levels.

Lord, help me to find simple ways to eliminate stress so I can experience more peace on a daily basis.