4 Mindful Ways to Live Less Stressed This Year

1. Leave the Rabbit Holes to the Bunnies

"At last, Peter Rabbit made his way back to the cozy burrow where he lived with his family. He was a very tired rabbit indeed!" ~Beatrix Potter

How many rabbit holes do you fall into on a daily basis? You know the ones: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. I mention these because they tend to draw us into mindless scrolling, comparing, and stressing about all kinds of things we have no business stressing about.

In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul said, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." When we allow endless images, ideas, and messages into our daily thought patterns, it doesn't take long for us to fall into dangerous rabbit holes that leave us exhausted and stressed out.

If we truly want this year to be more peaceful, we need to limit or remove social media altogether. Think of it as a snare for your emotions, holding you captive and preventing you from living in the joy of God's strength. This year, break free from the media trap and leave the rabbit holes to bunnies. Step into the wide-open space of God's indescribable joy and peace.

Here are a few additional resources that might help:

Is Social Media Killing Us?

5 Signs It Might Be Time to Take a Social Media Break

Helpful Strategies to Resist Comparison

2. Stop Valuing SO Many Opinions

Because I love to read, I often find myself captivated by other people's points of view. I enjoy things that draw me out of my bubble and get me thinking.

However, when the influx of opinions starts to chip away at God's peace, I know it's time to turn down the volume on other people's opinions and tune my heart to the Lord. Spending time in the Scriptures, worshiping, and praying always restores my mind and fills me with the peace I long for. What about you?

Perhaps you need to limit the opinions of others this year. This doesn't mean you need to self-isolate or be inconsiderate, but it might mean you need to meditate on the truths of the Bible more than you listen to the world's opinions. This can include:

-Turning off the nightly news

-Avoiding controversial chat groups/forums

-Resisting foolish arguments

-Maintaining fruitful conversations

This year is bound to be more peaceful as we listen to what God says before we seek the opinions of others. Let's be careful to test everything we hear in the light of God's Word and live with far less stress in the days ahead.

Photo credit: © Unsplash/Nathan Dumlao

3. Relieve The Pressure You Put on Yourself

I don't know about you, but I put a lot of pressure on myself. It seems an endless to-do list is running through my mind at any given time. Of course, this is a terribly stressful way to live, and it's not what the Lord requires of us.

Recall the familiar passage in Philippians 4:6-7 which says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Did you catch that? The peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. But first, we have to stop anxiety in its tracks and turn to Him in prayer. With hearts of thanksgiving, we are encouraged to tell God all about our to-do lists and release our stress to Him. Then, we will be ready to receive His peace - peace that goes beyond our understanding.

Here are a few practical ways to relieve the pressure you put on yourself:

-Limit daily tasks and delegate when possible.

-Set timers on your phone to keep your schedule running smoothly.

-Take a Sabbath day of rest every week.

-Be honest with yourself about how much you can handle and let go of the extras.

Relieve undo pressure on yourself and create healthy margins in your life. Remember Jesus' example of how He removed Himself from the crowds to pray and be alone with the Father. What a beautiful word picture to take with us and put into practice in the days ahead!

More resources to live with less pressure:

Why are You So Hard on Yourself?

A Prayer for When You Feel Under Pressure

Life Under Pressure

4. Be a Peacemaker Instead of a Peacekeeper

Have you ever stopped to think about the difference between a peacemaker and a peacekeeper? Jesus mentioned peacemakers in the Sermon on the Mount when He said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." I believe He used the phrase "children of God" because cultivating peace is both a gift and a blessing.

On the other hand, peacekeepers tend to avoid conflict and gloss over things that need to be addressed. They leave problems unresolved and tensions running high, all because they want to keep peace at all costs.

Here are a few comparative examples of peacemaking vs. peacekeeping:

-Peacemakers speak truth in love, while peacekeepers speak what others want to hear.

-Peacemakers work toward resolving conflict, while peacekeepers avoid it, often allowing it to escalate.

-Peacemakers invest in their relationships, while peacekeepers maintain surface-level interactions.

-Peacemakers lovingly point people to the Lord, while peacekeepers point people to themselves.

If we truly want to live less stressed this year, we must learn what the Bible says about God's peace. Romans 12:18 says, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Keep in mind that living at peace with others doesn't always mean going with the flow. Sometimes, it requires saying or doing hard things in the love of God.

We can move forward this year with an abundance of peace as we leave the rabbit holes to bunnies, stop valuing so many opinions, relieve the pressure we put on ourselves, and become peacemakers, as Jesus taught.

Related Podcast Resouce: How to Grow Spiritually, Professionally, Personally, and Physically in 2024

Alright, get ready to put on a hot cup of coffee or tea or listen on your ride to or from work, and join Courtnaye for this life-changing episode about how to grow spiritually, professionally, personally, and physically this year. 

Here are a few more helpful resources to have a peaceful, prosperous year:

20 New Years Prayers to Keep God First in 2024

15 Ways to Become a Better You in the New Year

5 Things to Leave Behind to Have the Best Year Yet

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/PixelsEffect