They say that one of the reasons free-range chicken’s eggs are so much better for us than the eggs of chickens that are laying in cages, is that the “free” chickens aren’t stressed out, therefore their eggs are higher in “good” cholesterol and lower in the “bad”.
It seems that every minute detail in this world is effected by hormones, and most especially stress hormones! Would you agree?
So here’s a big challenge for us: we women have a very sensitive endocrine system. That is, our brains are very attuned to stress and our chemistry shows it!
But, there is a big difference between an adrenaline rush when you’re having fun versus when you are about to do something you think is scary. Similar chemical soup, but different mindset right? Like when you ride a roller coaster {if you like roller coasters} you may feel jittery and excited inside as you are climbing up and up and up and your palms may be sweaty and your stomach flips just a little as you reach the apex and gravity shifts and you start going down….fast! After the ride, your legs may feel a littler rubbery because of the excitement, but you’re probably laughing and getting ready for the next ride!
Amazing how similar that experience is to the times you are doing something that truly scares you, like speaking in front of large audience or taking an exam or whatever you feel is out of your comfort. You may break into a sweat and your heart may race or your stomach may flop. But it’s not exhilarating!
Some of the difference is simply the conversation going on in our heads. One activity we label “fun” and the other we may label “terrifying.” In the times when we need to step out of our comfort, it will help our hormone balance if we get better at coaching ourselves away from fear and closer to faith.
Then there is the stress that comes from the lunacy of thinking we are superhuman! We simply must shift our expectations from conquering the world to just living in our world and doing our best every day. Consider the toll that hormone imbalance has on you and on your family! Think of how you can take each day as it comes, being loose enough to take in the serendipitous moments of joy that appear with your family while continuing to move forward in your growth and responsibilities.
In general, I’d like to encourage you to take yourself out of hyper-drive!
Try to do more of the things that are renewing to you and less of the mental comparing and worrying that can fill you full of signal-jamming stress hormones and give you ulcers! What is reasonable for you to do? What supports do you need? Pray for the wisdom to answer those questions.
Need more feel good chemicals? Need better sleep? Need greater resiliency and stamina? Need a more consistent pleasant mood? Take out the unnecessary activities that complicate life and drain your energy {often times with nothing to show for the time and energy you’ve given} and focus on keeping the essential, building activities that will be an investment in the well-being of you and your family.
We must make those priority calls, and be accountable for our choices. That’s how we continue to grow up! And that growing process in general will be far easier when we can maintain better hormone balance. {Yes, yes, that is the understatement of the world.} It’s a chicken and egg equation, {I’m not sure which is which} but balance aids growth and growing in wisdom helps balance!
Sending you much love!
Jacque