Yesterday, I wrote about some gadgets that have improved my standard of living. Here are some concepts that have reduced the stress in my life and made it a joy to go on breathing.
- Trusting Christ and His Church. Don’t pass over this one too quickly. It works. Without it, everything else can, at best provide only temporary solace. Believe in the Divinity of Christ and commit to the plan He has for your life.
- Financial Sanity. Every wonder where all the money goes? Ever wonder how you can work so many hours and still find it hard to make ends meet? Stop the madness! Three years ago we cut up our credit cards and refused to borrow money every again (with the theoretical exception of a mortgage). Not only does debt strain paychecks and relationships, it also makes you a slave to the lender and the future. We scratched and clawed our way out of debt. Now we are free to spend more of our money as we would like. For what it is worth, tithing (or proportional giving) is always a good idea, even when you seem to be losing ground. Healthy finances are not just about economics, it is about changing the way you think about money. The real secret is found in #1, above.
- Find a Job You Love. I have been good at many jobs, and in some I have found occasional satisfaction. But now that I am doing what I, my pastors, my guidance counselors, and every aptitude test has told me I should be doing, I am much happier and more efficient. Before, I would try to recreate my jobs around my interests and abilities. Now the whole thing is like that. I had to work to get here, but it was worth it. And my family is happier now that I am happier, too. Did we take a pay cut? You bet your baby’s shoes we did, but numbers #1 and #2 made the change possible.
- Becoming Better at the Big Things. Americans are generally good about working hard at their careers and their hobbies. That is good – we should learn to do our jobs well; and there is no doubt that we require recreation to maintain balance. But it is too bad that people don’t put much of any positive effort into the things that really matter: their relationships. Husbands should study their wives and women to learn how to serve and please them. Wives should do the same for their husbands. Ditto for our relationship with God. It has often been said that you get out of something what you put into it… don’t you want a happy marriage? Don’t you want to be a good parent or son/daughter or friend? Don’t you want to learn more about the loving God who died and resurrected for your salvation? People seem to just “gut out” their most important relationships, assuming that love will take care of things. It’s silly. As if love and effort were at odds with one another.
- Vacations. I don’t mean Disney World or Paris. Although that is part of it. I also mean daily breaks for prayer, exercise, and chilling out. Here at our house, Pani Tina and I have an hour of quiet time after we put the kids to bed. This is our daily vacation. We watch movies, read, or just hang out on the front porch. I like to have an hour or so in the early morning to drink my coffee, pray, get caught up on the news, and just get ready for the day. After Divine Liturgy on Sunday I take a nap. While I love being a priest, I always look forward to that nap. It’s like the Epilogue to a satisfying novel.
Next year, I hope to add a 6th: weight control! I really struggle with my weight, and I have to admit that I let it stress me out. I have to deal with both the weight (which is at an unhealthy level, even if folks try to insist it doesn’t show) and the attitude. I suspect that number #1 will have something to do with the solution (and any diet or plan that lacks it will not last).
