Ok, since being married I have improved on my stress control immensely! This is probably where I have seen the most growth in myself. I don't let things bother me too much and I work on relieving my stress rather than allowing it to become debilitating.
When Erik and I were dating my stress would get so out of control that I wouldn't be able to communicate with him. It didn't help that our relationship was mainly over the phone, but still, it consumed me! I think the biggest thing for me was to learn how to put things into perspective. Especially with school. In the past two years I have chosen to hang out with friends more and invest in relationships and myself rather than just focusing on school. I went from being a college student to being a student who attends college. I seriously would do homework at every waking moment before getting married, it was a bit ridiculous. School was my life. Now school is just a part of my life. But it extends beyond school. I don't feel as much stress in life as I did before.
I have Erik to thank for this.Without him I would still be a stress case. He is so patient with me and so gentle. Yes, I need him to be gentle! He gently reminds me to keep things in perspective and asks me how we can go about making things better. If it is school I am stressed about he will cook and clean so that I can finish my work. If it is life that is causing stress he will talk through things with me and encourage me. I can't even explain how wonderful he is!
That all being said, now is one of those times of high stress. I am still able to keep some perspective, but right now the stress feels overwhelming. I know it is just a feeling, but it is powerful! The main thing causing stress right now is a paper I wrote. It's due tomorrow. Why would that be stressful? Well, because yesterday I came onto the computer to edit the paper and it was not longer there. Instead of the almost complete version, I had a version from two weeks ago. I have no idea what happened! I had been saving it and opening it on the computer for the past week and it was always there for me. Yesterday it wasn't. And it still isn't today. Thankfully my teacher graciously gave me an extension until next Wednesday, but it's a 15 page paper that took a lot of time and energy to write! So now we have company coming this weekend and I have to re-write a paper and study for all my midterms still. I know it's just school and I will get everything finished, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I would love to keep my current GPA.
I am begging Erik to take the computer in to see if someone can retrieve my paper, but he doesn't sound hopeful. Can't they do amazing things?? It has to be somewhere. I have also given Erik approval to buy another computer in the near future. He has been asking for two years. It is just so much money! And I want to go to Africa and that is so much money too! But, I do not want this happening ever again! Good thing I only have two more papers to write this semester... and they aren't going to be that difficult.
I just keep reminding myself that in two weeks this won't even matter anymore. Two weeks. I can do it.
You can do it! And you're right, two weeks and you'll hardly remember what your paper was even about. :) Just keep breathing... and when you're still drowning in stress, eat more cookies. That's my motto. Always eat cookies.
ReplyDeleteYou must feel victorious -- I've never seen you use so many exclamation points before.
ReplyDeleteYou can do it!