Look around the world. We are inundated with images and sounds of brokenness. If you are a heart-centered leading lady, it can be exhausting emotionally. Truly this is not the world that God had in mind. However, in the midst of it, on this side of heaven, I’m convinced the quest to embody a Remarkable Life is not an impossible dream. According to John 10:10, it has been promised to us! But, how do we achieve this type of life when we are plagued by negative stress, tension or pressure, caused by work, life, crime rates, unemployment, wars, illness, money and relationship drama? Whew! In our own strength this is too much to bear alone!

Brand Yourself as The Remarkable Woman Who Knows Her God

You and I were created by God to enjoy an intimate, loving and fulfilling relationship with Him. According to John 15:15, to live a Remarkable Life we must spend time connecting with Him in the Bible! A restful life requires spending time nurturing your relationship with God. The Bible is His love letter to us! So, keep stress at bay by refusing to live your life apart from Him as His principles for living.

One of my favorite practices for years has been to read a chapter from the book of Proverbs on the first day of a new month. As a certified Precept Bible study leader, I love studying the Bible inductively, which takes more time, but gives you a thorough understanding of the intent of the original writers. Here’s the thing, regardless of what you read and how you study, as a Remarkable Woman you can’t live out your leadership brand apart from abiding (resting and remaining) in Him and His Word. So always set aside time each day to study and meditate on the scriptures. De-stress your life. Brand yourself as The Remarkable Woman who knows her God and recognizes that He is in control. What better way to build a remarkable life than from a place of REST!

During this season of our lives, we must invite in REST! The grind it real! But I am determined to start a movement where women who lead are inspired and equipped to “rest and build” with a style full of “grace and ease.” As I study the life of Christ, I see that He flowed with that kind of remarkable presence.

Realistically, most of us don’t have the luxury of trading our current lifestyle for one where we roll out of bed at 9 am every day or work from the sandy shores of a beach with our laptops sipping iced tea! Regardless of where we are, by transforming our mind, we can intentionally embody the presence of God and activate life changing biblical principles. We can wholeheartedly live and lead well and inspire others to do the same!

For this reason, I felt God leading me to create this safe connected-community – the Remarkable Living Institute (RLI) – for us to learn to struggle well as we go against the current culture in pursuit of this extraordinary life! If you are ready, let’s get started as we focus on our goal this month: de-stress our lives!

Here are five simple tips and biblical principles to help you invite more grace and ease on a daily basis:  

1. Focus on the Positive-Did you know that negative emotions can negatively impact the way your brain functions and increase your chances of chronic illnesses? According to Prov. 17:22, a joyful and merry heart is great medicine. But a broken spirit can cause you much harm and lead to sickness because it crushes you. Learn to harness those irrational emotions and thoughts, under God’s power, by stepping back and looking for the silver lining. Choose to get rid of “stinking thinking” before it ruins you and others.

2.  Align or realign with your purpose– God has a wonderful and beautiful plan for your life based on Jer. 29:11. Our lives are most fulfilling when we are living out our purpose. Take the time to reevaluate your “why.” So often we get caught up in the struggle and daily grind and find ourselves getting off track. But, by focusing on the why instead of the what, how or when you will find yourself in a better space emotionally. There will be more to come on this subject, I promise!

3.  Talk with a friend, especially over tea! Too often, we treat stress as if it’s a taboo subject, until we blow it and lose our testimony as a Remarkable Woman! Relax, we all get stressed out! Find a Forever Faithful Friend, who walks with you and lifts you up when you fall, based on Eccl.4:9-12 . You must be able to freely and openly share about the stress that you are experiencing. Make sure that your friend is willing to listen not only to your words but to your heart without passing  judgement. As I like to put it plainly, “she is someone who allows you to be: naked and not ashamed!”

4.  Practice the Discipline of Rest-Learn to relax! You must give your mind a break from the hustle. Schedule time for yourself to practice alone in silence. Take a daily sabbatical, walk, meditate, listen to music. Dial things back so that you can become even more productive. Based on Psalm 127:2, you are not being idle when you rest, but using greater wisdom.

5. De-stress Your Wardrobe-Take heed to the words of Phil. 4:6 and choose not to be anxious about anything  big or small, not even the clothes that you will wear. If God can clothe the lilies of the field, I think He can do an even better job with you and I! On those days that you are feeling particularly stressed out, wear clothes that relax you, help you feel grounded and put a smile on your face. Take note of the weekly branded style tips shared here, download the latest branded style forecast or visit the RLI Facebook page for inspiration. As a Remarkable Woman you deserve to wear clothes the that speak life to your soul and calm your spirit.

So, hopefully, you feel inspired to Rise Up and lead well as you press into God! Refuse to allow stress to define you negatively. Rest and build your brand as a Remarkable Woman, with “grace and ease” as you live a Remarkable Life every day.