Big hearts, little hearts, red hearts, white hearts ….you’re going to see a lot of hearts this Valentine’s Day!

While you’re enjoying this Valentine’s Day with your loved ones, remember to take care of your own heart! One of the best ways to do this is by controlling stress!

I once went to a lecture where the speaker, when explaining stress management to the audience raised a glass of water and asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?” The answers called out ranged from 2 to 5 pounds.

The lecturer replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t really matter.  It depends on how long you try to hold it.  If you hold it for a minute…no problem.  If you hold it for an hour…you’re going to have an ache in your arm.  If you hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance.  In each case, it’s the same weight, but the longer you hold it, the heavier it becomes”.

That’s the way it is with stress management.  If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on.  As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.  When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden! 

So, before you go any further today, put the burdens away for a while.  Don’t carry it with you.  You can pick up the issues later.  Whatever burdens your carrying right now…let them down for a moment and take a break...it will be good for your heart!

So my friends, on this Valentine’s Day, put down whatever is a burden to you right now.  Don’t pick it up again until after you’ve rested.  Maybe give it a rest for the entire day!  It will help your heart, will decrease your stress…and let you enjoy this Valentine’s Day with your loved ones!

I thought I’d share some great thoughts on dealing with stress in life that we all encounter. Enjoy – I hope they make you smile and relax a little:

·       A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery … on a detour!

·       Always keep your words soft and sweet…you might have to eat them later!

·       If you can’t be kind…at least have the decency to be vague!

·       Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time because then you won’t have a leg to stand on!

·       We could learn a lot from crayons…Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors…but they all have to live in the same box!

Happy Valentine’s Day…and remember that being able to communicate your love and appreciation is the most important form of communication!