Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) April/May 2020 Aspire Magazine FULL Issue | Page 73

Have you ever thought about developing a
“personal crisis reserve account”. Just like a
savings account where you tuck away money
for when you run short, your personal crisis
reserve account is about tucking away time
and renewal. Scheduling a couple hours
weekly or monthly, where you get away from
your responsibilities (and phone) to reboot
your body and soul.
Deposits in our crisis reserve account allow
us time for human-being, without the human-
doing factor. We can rediscover our own
inner rhythms of productivity, creativity, and
our instincts about what’s right for us. If we
allow Inspirational breaks, it can sort things
out. Inspiration leads to transformation!!
SOLUTION #2: Be
Aware of Your Stress
Symptoms
Some people chew gum, other’s bite their
nails, we all have these pesky little coping
skills when we are feeling stressed. The
better I know myself, the better I show myself.
Take a look at the Stress Response Test
pulled from my latest book, “Rise Above the
Chaos: How to Keep Positive in an Unsettled
World. See how you score on this.
Answer yes or no to the following questions:
1. I get annoyed when the cell phone rings
2. I get headaches easily.
3. I have digestive problems.
4. I frequently get colds and flu.
5. I often have interrupted sleep or insomnia.
6. I always feel rushed.
7. I drive too fast.
8. I drink caffeine throughout the day.
9. I eat high fat or sugary foods to boost my
energy.
10. I  ’m smoking more or I’ve recently started
smoking again.
11. I drink more alcohol than I used to.
12. I often lose my temper.
13. I  can’t stop thinking about my problems
or “shut off” my busy brain.
14. I  ’m carrying a lot of tension in my neck,
back, or shoulders.
15. I don’t have the optimism I once had.
16. I often feel fatigued.
17. I  ’m often clumsy; I keep dropping or
bumping into things.
18. I seem to get upset and/ or into more
arguments than I used to.

Count the number of “yes” responses to
determine your score:
1-2
You are ready for all life dishes out
and can withstand new challenges with a
smile and resiliency.
3-6
Some type of lifestyle change is
suggested. Are you getting any exercise or
renewal time? Do you eat right? You need
to affirm, This Spring Season I’m really going
to reboot my battery and take care of ME.
7-10 If you are going through a major life
crisis than this score is understandable and
temporary. If not, burnout is nearing and
you’ve got to address some internal chaos
which is making your life harder.
11+ Taking some time off is not a luxury…
it is a necessity. Find the simplest way to
73
SOLUTION #1: Create
a Personal Crisis Reserve
Account