Guard what enters, marinates in your heart

In the past two years, I have been trying to resolve some health issues in my family. Parts of the treatment protocols have involved learning to recognize and manage stress. In the past two years, I have learned much about stress.

The one aspect of stress that has surprised me most is that the body knows when it is under stress but cannot distinguish between the source of stress. Good stress, such as a wedding, new baby, or a new job, causes the same effect on the body and mind as harmful stressors. The body does not discriminate when it comes to stress.

Since the body cannot discern what is good stress or bad stress, we must make that distinction ourselves. We approach stress management with similar tactics, but we must also distinguish the good from the troublesome sources of turmoil. We have to determine how we will respond, what we will home onto and what we will allow impacting our happiness.

Happiness researchers have discovered that 50% of someone's capacity for happiness is genetic. Yes, your grumpy grandma is influencing your happiness capacity. Researchers have also observed that 20% of your happiness comes from attitude and 20% from choices. The remaining 10% of your happiness is influenced by life circumstances, such as being stuck in traffic when you have to be somewhere. Forty percent of your happiness capacity is under your influence. Forty percent is not the majority, but it is a significant amount.

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." What comes in and out of your heart frames your approach to life. Guarding what enters and marinates in your heart will set the course of your days.

I may not be able to control my genetics or events that happen to me. I can recognize that no matter what occurs, God has my heart in mind. His role is to be God. My part is to be a good steward of the life he has given me.