When your plate is full

If you were dining in a restaurant and the waitperson kept putting more food on your plate, you would likely say you were full. Does it not make sense to do the same when your being—your emotions, intellect, and spirit—is on overload? Know when your plate is full and you will be much happier.

In today's fast pace, few encouraging words are given in the workplace for a balanced and thoughtful life, in which one has clear priorities of family, physical, spiritual, and mental health. A common attitude has become "the more stress you can handle the better." Compliments are given to those who look haggard while saying, "Boy, what a rough day! I had twelve hours of nonstop work."

Eight common signs of having too full a plate are:

1. People close to you suggest you slow down.
2. There are no more people close to you.
3. The mere thought of working less brings on anxiety.
4. Rather than relaxing on vacation you bring along "just a little" work or have a long list of things to do or sights to see. Or, you begin to feel anxious on returning from a holiday.
5. You spend less and less time doing activities that are important to you.
6. Little, insignificant things easily annoy you.
7. Your body reacts with frequent illness.
8. You die young.

It is possible that you live a life so constantly full of stress that you have become acclimated to it. Even when your plate is full you may continue to take on more. In fact, you may be so used to stress that when it is not there it feels like something is wrong.

You may believe that you have no choice other than to live with your current level of stress.

Think again. Your stress can be reduced. Begin by:

Knowing when your plate is full and responding accordingly!

Houston dentist
Minh Nguyen, D.D.S.
www.softdental.com