Is Your Camel Overloaded?

We’ve all heard the saying about the straw that broke the camel’s back. If you imagine your life as that camel, how are things going for you? Do you fear an approaching straw that will push your camel into collapse?

When we think about making changes in our lives in order to reduce stress, ACC therapist, Rebecca Lowry, says we need to consider the “concept of total stress load.”
She suggests we actually make a list of our stressors in order to identify them specifically. They may include work, family, relationships, health, etc. “Often the largest suitcase is the one filled with issues from the past,” says Rebecca. Now visualize that camel. Imagine his back loaded with bags and boxes, suitcases and steamer trunks filled with all the things from your list. Is his back about to break?

Once we have identified the stress that fills those suitcases, the next questions are a little harder. Are there any that can be eliminated? What skills can be learned in order to manage those we cannot unload? Will I need professional help to sort through some of them? Where do I start?

A number of good books are available which may be helpful. In Margin, Dr. Richard Swenson, a physician, explains that our culture has forgotten the idea of margin—the space that once existed between ourselves and our limits, held in reserve for contingencies or unanticipated situations. In their Boundaries books, psychologists, Cloud and Townsend, describe how sound boundaries will help us take more control over our lives. [See BOOK REVIEW]

In conclusion, Rebecca states, “we need to keep the camel healthy!” Too often when stress weighs us down, good habits fall by the wayside. We neglect eating well, getting enough rest, exercising, and spending time with the Lord. We also need to be sure to have some fun! Maintaining these routines, keeps the camel healthy and increases his threshold against that “straw.”