Hey Reader!

Many of us live in a state of constant exhaustion and overwhelm. Society tells us we need to hustle more and accomplish more and post more and learn more and watch more and know more and do more. Oh, and also…all of that “more” should probably be “better” too, because Sassy Sally over there is doing it better!

And Jesus says “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

Doesn’t that sound good? Rest for your soul. Let me give you a few warning signs that you might indeed be headed from just tired to burn-out.

1. Unresolved Stress: It begins with the simple, persistent stress that defines many of our lives, especially for those in caretaker roles. You just keep holding on to it.
2. Emotional Repercussions: The stress begins to show up emotionally. You might find yourself becoming a little snippy with coworkers, irritable with family, or more volatile in your reactions than you normally would be.
3. Physical Repercussions: If the emotional cues are ignored, the body begins to send physical signals. Maybe it’s consistent migraines, digestion issues, or just constantly feeling like you’re getting sick.

Many of us can relate to these symptoms at one point or another in our lives. So what do you do if you’re experiencing this now?

1. First, be honest about what you're experiencing. Is your stress based on your own expectations or is it others’ expectations? Are you irritable because [PMS] and it'll be over in a few days? Or do you find yourself consistently overreacting to small annoyances?
2. Jesus says “Come to me” – I can be very guilty of either holding all of my stress and worry in my own heart, mind and body. I think about it a lot so I convince myself that I’ve also prayed about it. The reality is….I’ve thought about it a lot. I haven’t actually handed anything to Jesus and I haven’t actually even talked to Him about it. So…..write down on an actual piece of paper what is bothering you. If you can, say it out loud to Jesus in prayer. Then tell Him you trust Him with it and tear up your piece of paper into tiny pieces and throw it away. I’m always so glad that there is a story in scripture about a dad who has to honestly say to Jesus “I believe! But help my unbelief.” Because sometimes I have to write my worries down a bunch of times and tear them up a bunch of times to practice trusting God!
3. Share your worries, your stress, and your struggles with a trusted friend or coworker who will pray for you to find strength and victory. There is power in confessing the struggle and sharing the burden. This isn’t just a venting session, though. Share the struggle and then pray together with your friend to overcome it.
4. Notice the positive. Where have you seen God show up today? What small piece of creation did you notice today? Studies show that we can actually rewire our brains when we intentionally interrupt our negative spirals with gratitude. So…reply to this email and let us know what ONE beautiful thing you witnessed or experienced this week!

At ECCN, we’re always trying to equip you to be your best self – personally, professionally and spiritually! We know this job is difficult and often thankless.

But God sees you.

He loves you.

He knows you.

And He wants to help carry your burdens.

Listen in to this week’s podcast conversation with Faith Rivera if you want some more practical things you can do to reduce stress, build resilience, and eliminate burnout! The kids in your classroom need you, your family needs you – a healthy, fully-present YOU!

Cheering you on this week!

-Your ECCN team

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Listen to this podcast episode with host Monica Healer now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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