The Complete Guide to Calming Exam StressSample

The taste of iced coffee, a beautiful sunset, the feel of a belly laugh—these are all ways we experience life. In order to have these wonderful experiences, we need to be present in our bodies.

On the flip side, we also experience the difficult things in life in our bodies—tears, racing hearts and tense shoulders. Stress has an impact on our bodies. It's part of being human.

But it’s surprisingly easy to disconnect from the physical aspect of our lives and forget how important it is, especially when we're feeling stressed. We can get so consumed by our emotions or so focused on cramming our brains during study time that we disconnect from our physical bodies.

But God designed you to live your life in your body! It's a gift. Not only do we get to enjoy good experiences, but our bodies can also help support us when we face difficult times. How we treat it matters.

In fact, the Bible teaches us that our bodies are part of our worship (Rom. 12:1). It reminds us to honour God with our bodies (1 Cor. 6:19-20). We’re invited to care for ourselves in a way that acknowledges the gift of our physical bodies and live in a way that honours God, who designed us to experience life this way.

What does this look like when you’re facing stress? It could be anything from taking a few deep breaths to calm your nervous system, going outside into nature during a study break to something as simple as choosing a nourishing snack. But most importantly, it looks like inviting God to meet you where you are in your physical experience and acknowledging how God designed you to be able to deal with stress through your body.

Take a moment to thank God for the gift of your body and how it can help you manage stress. Try to complete the checklist for today and repeat it whenever needed!