When life’s storms are raging, self-care can be the last thing on your mind. This is especially true if you’re exhausted from caring for everyone else and trying to keep everything together. Here are 8 self-care tips to help you ride out the storm.
The best way to survive a severe storm is to focus on what you can control and let God control the rest.
Most notably, your self-care is in your control and is essential during life’s storms.
This is especially true if you’re taking care of others. Not only does it help you maintain wellness until the disturbance is over, but proper self-care can aid your navigation, keep your mind clear, and keep your body rested when difficult decisions need to be made.
Giving everything else to the Lord allows you to experience the peace of God through your midst of challenges.
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Storms of Life Meaning
‘When the storms of life are raging’ can have both metaphorical and literal meanings.
When people talk about severe storms, they can refer to the weather—the storms that come and go in their lives—or they can refer to the hard things that life throws their way.
Either way, storms are a natural part of life. And like the weather, they can be unpredictable, and sometimes even a dangerous storm can come.
But they can also be beautiful and exhilarating. Like a serious thunderstorm can fill the sky with light and color, storms in life can bring new opportunities and experiences.
For example:
- Someone who experiences job loss may apply for something new and discover their dream job.
- Someone who must relocate to another city finds their spouse or a new best friend in the new area.
Unfortunately, when life’s storms are raging, it can feel like the lowest point in your life. This is especially true after profound loss, disappointment, or grief.
So, it’s imperative to remember that the storms of life are temporary.
Storms of Life Examples
Examples of the storms of life include:
- The need for caregiving
- Relationship problems
- Financial loss
- Life-changing illnesses or accidents
- Deep loss and grief
While examples are different for everyone, they all have the potential to cause immense challenges.
- If the family provides the caregiving, the need for caregiving may interfere with the loved one’s sense of independence and strain the spouse or family.
- Relationship problems may cause communication breakdowns, conflict, and mistrust.
- Financial loss may cause stress, anxiety, and difficulty paying bills.
- Life-changing illnesses may cause physical pain, psychological distress, and financial strain.
- Profound loss and grief may lead to depression, anxiety, and feelings of isolation.
Great Calm In the Unknown
The unknown can be scary!
But the great thing about storms is that they open you to new possibilities and show God’s goodness. While you face these difficulties in your life, you usually find the strength of God’s provision.
You can’t always prevent trouble from entering your life (even by avoiding bad decisions), but you can manage how you react to it. (God does not give us a spirit of fear.)
Taking good care of yourself can help you get through life’s storms and stay physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually well.
The struggles you face are not easy to overcome, but with:
- self-care
- following the will of God
- knowing your worth and value
It’s possible to get through any storm! So, let’s talk about the self-care tips first!
Self-care Tips to Help You Overcome the Storms of Life
There are different kinds of storms.
There are storms of daily life—the challenges, deadlines, and demands that can leave you feeling depleted and stressed.
Additionally, unexpected storms—illnesses, deaths, and other losses—can rock your world and overwhelm you.
Regardless of the type of storm that you’re facing, self-care is always important.
Self-care is not selfish.
Amid the storm, self-care also means self-love and self-preservation.
Caring for yourself makes you better equipped to weather even a violent storm.
8 Self-care Tips to Overcome the Storms of Life:
By taking care of yourself, you’ll be better equipped to withstand the rips that come your way. So, remember to prioritize the 8 self-care tips I’ve listed below to stand on a solid foundation in a day of trouble.
Physical Self-care
Sleep
Getting plenty of sleep is a vital necessity.
When you’re tired, you’re more susceptible to stress and more likely to make mistakes. Sleep can be a game changer for your physical, mental, and emotional health. So, ensure you get at least eight hours of sleep every night.
A good night’s sleep helps improve your mood and gives your body a chance to recover from the day’s stressors.
You make wiser decisions when well-rested, even when all choices are unfavorable.
Eat
A full stomach goes along with getting quality sleep. Eating nutritious foods helps maintain your energy level, improve your immune system, and help your body better withstand stress.
Avoiding simple carbs and junk food can improve your sleep quality even when the storms of life are raging.
Take Breaks
It’s essential to take regular breaks throughout the day to rejuvenate your mind and body. If you feel overwhelmed, take a break from whatever is causing you stress as a way of escape.
Take a walk, read for a while, or take some me-time. Even if it’s just a five-minute break to stretch or getting outside for fresh air, taking some time for yourself will help you recharge and be better prepared to handle whatever comes your way.
Aim to have at least 15 minutes of me-time daily, and ideally do this twice.
When you begin improving your self-care, it can be stressful and overwhelming, and many people also feel guilty when they start taking time for themselves—especially during life’s storms. But self-care is life-saving! That’s an absolute fact.
Manage Stress
Managing stress can help you feel more in control of your life and better handle difficult situations. So, practice basic stress management techniques such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation. Do a little thing daily to relieve your stress.
These techniques help promote calmness and peace.
Move Around
Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects. It’s also a great way to blow off steam and reduce stress. Move around even if you don’t like to exercise. It helps!
Follow Your Doctor’s Orders
If you have a medical condition, follow your healthcare provider’s treatment plan and take any medications as prescribed. When the storms of life are raging, there’s a greater temptation to skip necessary treatments or medications. Continuing your disease or symptom management protocols will help you overcome storms of life.
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Emotional Self-care
Reach Out to Overcome Storms of Life
Self-care isn’t meant to be done all by yourself! Reach out to your people.
Connect with supportive friends and family members. Talking to someone who understands what you’re going through can be very helpful.
The people who know you best can provide a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, or a friendly text message when needed. Set boundaries with people who don’t support you. These relationships provide you with emotional support and enhance your sense of well-being.
Spiritual Self-care
Spend Quiet Time with the Lord Daily
Reading God’s word will fill you with His peace and strength. Set aside time each day for quiet reflection and prayer. If possible, start and end your day this way.
Read Scripture daily to keep the spiritual truth in front of you.
This time can help you center yourself and provide peace amid life’s storms. Fueling your Christian life with the reassuring presence of the Holy Spirit can help you stay positive and keep moving forward even during the most difficult times.
Encouraging Scripture Verses
- Psalms 9:9-10 The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.
- 1 Corinthians 4:8-10 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
- James 1:2-5 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
- Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
- Isaiah 4:6 It will be a shelter from daytime heat and a hiding place from storms and rain.
How Does God’s Truth Help You Overcome Storms of Life?
It can be easy to feel alone during a storm. So, if you feel overwhelmed, turn to Scripture for God’s love, guidance, and strength. Jesus’ words are a source of hope.
The Word of God is a lamp unto your feet, giving you direction when you feel lost. Spiritual training from reading Scripture is a strong foundation that provides the confidence you need to get through any disturbance.
Scripture helps remind you that God is always with you.
You are never alone.
Remembering this can bring you comfort at the most challenging moments.
Storms of Life in the Bible
Scripture is full of stories about storms. These stories remind us that God remains faithful no matter what we face.
For example, the story of Joseph teaches us about patience and endurance. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, but he remained faithful to God and was eventually able to use his talents to help save his people from famine.
The story of Job teaches us how to cope with tragedy. Job lost everything he had, but he remained faithful to God and was eventually rewarded for his loyalty.
Of course, the Apostle Paul wrote a letter of encouragement while imprisoned. His faith in Jesus Christ kept him hopeful.
What are Spiritual Storms?
Spiritual storms often occur when you face challenges that force you to grow and change spiritually. These can be painful, but they can also be transformative. They can equip you for difficult things in the future.
Examples of spiritual battles include having doubt or experiencing temptation.
Doubting God’s realness, presence, faithfulness, or experiencing the temptation to do something out of character can make you feel shameful and unworthy of asking for God’s help.
Spending time with the Lord is great advice and can be one of the most beneficial activities during a spiritual storm.
Talking to a spiritual leader or mentor can offer more direction, encouragement, and support. You do not have to go through a spiritual storm alone.
Trusting God in the Storms of Life
It can be easy to feel abandoned during life’s storms.
But as a Christian, you can take comfort in knowing the Heavenly Father always watches over you. When you feel overwhelmed, remember God’s promise never to leave you.
Trusting God doesn’t mean that the storm will instantly go away, but it does mean that you don’t have to face it alone. Lean on Him for comfort and support during the storm.
You can find peace and strength amid the storm when you trust God’s power, believe He’s in control and will ultimately bring good out of your trials.
Standing Firm to Overcome Storms of Life
Standing firm in life’s storms can be difficult. It’s easy to lose confidence when we face complex challenges. However, we can solidify our self-confidence by connecting with the Lord.
Additionally, many storms are not our fault. We may have done everything right, but sometimes storms happen. They are a part of life and can help us grow and become stronger.
Finally, we need to remember that we are protected. The Lord is our shield and our fortress, and He will always be there to defend us.
Standing firm is possible when we trust the Lord is always with us.
Knowing you have an eternity with God can help you endure tough times.
Remember Your Worth and Value
Surviving the storm is not about being perfect; it’s about having the strength to keep going, even when things are tough, and trusting that the Lord will keep you strong.
When life’s storms last long, exhaustion can cloud your thinking. You may start to believe you don’t deserve peace in your life, that you aren’t worthy of the fight, or that you deserve the bad outcome and should give up.
You may believe that no one cares.
But God cares. He cared so much about you that He created you.
He is the one who knit you together. God knows every hair on your head and loves you more than you can comprehend.
You are so valuable to God that He sent his son Jesus to die on the cross for your sins!
Remember how valuable and worthy you are to the Father. Staying close to God will help you know your significance, motivating you to keep going and overcome the storm.
Lessons and Practical Encouragement When You Overcome Storms of Life
You often learn the most about yourself during the darkest of storms.
When you face adversity, you must dig deep and find the strength and courage you never knew you had. You develop resiliency and adaptability, qualities that will serve you well long after the storm has passed.
Each storm offers us an opportunity to learn and grow. Even so, lessons from life’s storms can be difficult to learn.
Most prefer to avoid storms or deny that they exist.
But the truth is, you will face storms in your life.
We all will.
Overcome Storms of Life
While surviving life’s storms can be difficult, the good news is that you do not have to go through it alone. People care about you and want to help you through this tough time, and God is always with you. The most important thing is never to give up.
By following these self-care tips, keeping a firm grip on your faith and the goodness of God, and knowing your value, you give yourself the best chance to overcome whatever challenges come your way!
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originally published on August 19, 2022
Be sure to grab your FREE Self-care Starter Guide! Lisa Kimrey is a 33-year veteran registered nurse (RN), speaker, and author of the Bible study, The Self-care Impact: Motivation and Inspiration for Wellness. At Mylifenurse, Lisa combines her nursing expertise with Scripture-based encouragement to show readers who serve and care for others how to begin and maintain their self-care journey – without feeling guilty or overwhelmed – to feel happy, healthy, and rejuvenated.