Monday, September 29, 2014

Most Stressed Out in Society


The most stressed out people in our society are women between the ages of 45 and 64 years old. They also have the lowest well-being of any age group or gender. Here is one example of one woman who proves this to be true ~

She wakes up with the sun, her kids still live at home, she works a full-time job and she spends her lunch breaks visiting her mother, who recently suffered a stroke. On top of that, Watkins is married and attempting to stay healthy.

"It's 'Oh, wow. I'm not spending enough time with Mom. I'm not giving her enough support,'" she told ABC News. "But then I go over and spend more time with her and then I'm thinking: 'Wow. My kids are needing more of my time. My husband needs more of my time or my job.'"

"It's the constant feeling that you're never doing enough for any particular group that needs your time. Most definitely, I think that comes with the female territory," she said. "I want to find a corner and curl myself up and get away from everybody and everything, but that doesn't happen."

THIS is what feminism fought so hard for??!! Women living stressed out and overworked lives even when they are older?? Nobody wins. Nobody. Husbands, children, and parents are neglected. Now women are getting all the diseases that are related to stress that mostly men use to get like heart disease and high blood pressure. 

I frequently read or see these interviews given my moms who are movie stars and they admit that they are all having a difficult time "having it all." Having it all is a lie. We were never meant to be able to have it all by the world's definition. If you are a believer, you are meant to walk in the ways of God and do those things which have eternal value like raising godly offspring, loving and pleasing your husbands, and making your homes a haven for your families.

These responsibilities don't change much as you get older. Teenagers still need mothers at home. Even grown children need help with babysitting and help with the grandchildren. Husbands will always need their wives. The homes still need to be cleaned and maintained with nourishing food shopped for and prepared. Then there are the elderly parents that start needing help. Finally, older women are suppose to be teaching the younger women. How are they supposed to do that when they can hardly take care of their own families?

This is God's role for you older women..."The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becomes holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women...
Titus 2:3, 4

HERE is the link to the article I quoted above.

photo source

Comments (14)

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I am living this life with homeschooling and working in my husband's business. My mother-in-love passed last fall. I know I didn't give her enough attention. I always feel over busy and guilty.
2 replies · active 547 weeks ago
I love this verse, "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you." I Thes. 4:11 Busy seems to be a character trait these days and something we should be proud of. It is way to easy in this fast paced society to get too busy to attend to the things we should attend to.
Leaving my words here, Laura, I also homeschool my children, run a business, maintain websites and more. I realized a while back that I am so busy that even if I was with my children in body I wasn't in heart or mind. I went before the Father to ask Him to show me what needs to go and as He unfolds His plan and confirms it in my husbands heart, I am pruning our lifestyle to where my peace returns and my mind is set on Him first (Isaiah 26:3) and then on my family and home. May you too find what is essential and ditch the rest.
Never knew that was the age group. I feel overwhelmed and I'm 36. But I agree full with not being able to have it all. I stay at home and am fortunate I can focus on my children and husband only for the most part. I had a conversation with my neighbor who is 70+ years old the other day and she was telling me how her grandson's wife gives him kind of a hard time. He's in the airforce. She is a pharmacy rep. They have two girls about 2 and 4 I believe. He wanted to go out with his buddies after work for wings and she told him, "No you have to come home and cook salmon. I have had a rough day." She said he is the only one that really ever cooks, and gives the girls baths and cleans the house. It just reminded me how my life, once it was given to God in my marriage, is so much better. Others think I'm boring and "stuck" with the kids. I see it as total freedom to live a full life that we all benefit from. It takes away the pride factor. Now no one can say my blessings are from my own doing by earthly standards. They are GOD GIVEN. All glory be to GOD!!!!!!
1 reply · active 547 weeks ago
When both work, there usually is no one responsible for cooking and cleaning. It is very sad. Yes, the whole family benefits from a mother at home full-time! You're blessed.
This hits home with me! I work part time and take care of grandkids 1 day a week, . Involved in a Bible Study with Lots of homework. Pretty stressed out. Fortunately my parents are in good health for now. 2 more grandbabies on the way. Really praying for wisdom in prioritizing my schedule to be more available for my grown children and their families.
Thank you for this article.
3 replies · active 547 weeks ago
It sounds like the Bible study needs to go if it involves that much homework, in my opinion! God never meant for us to live stressed out lives. You can have a quiet time every morning meditating on the Word and praying. Spending time with the Lord and the people in our lives are the most important.
But learning about God is so exciting!
Yes, but there are many other ways to learn about God then going to a Bible study and having hours of homework, especially if it causes undue stress and interferes with duties of the home and family.
I feel this pressure also even though I don't have a job. I am the only child to my mother, her sister (who has cancer) and my grandmother (who is their mother and 86). My father also isn't remarried and is alone. (he is a hoarder) Now the female relatives are strong feminists and they give me a hard time for NOT having a job and then berate me for not spending more time with them. Plus I homeschool my teenage kids and am planning my daughter's wedding.

Ya, I want to run away to a deserted island. Truly, I think the Lord is carrying me.
1 reply · active 547 weeks ago
He does give us the strength to do what needs to be done. You're time seems to be spent wisely, Christy, since it involves serving those you love! Your children are your priority at this time in your life, however. Your daughter only gets to have one wedding!
I am very thankful, that even though I fall into this age group, I am neither stressed or run off my feet. I think many women take on far too much as they don’t know how to say no. They think they should volunteer for this or that, or if they do have to work, do not choose wisely and find themselves in a place that is not family friendly or flexible. It can all become too much and then it’s very difficult to back out of these commitments. Everything we do needs to be thought out (not rushed) with care and through pray as it all has consequences to others.

The one, of many things I learnt from my mother, was being organised. You can fit quite a bit into a day, if you are very organised and well structured. If you are not one of those organised types it can all become a mess very quickly. You need to know your limitations.

On another topic – just wanted to thank you for suggesting the TV series “Cedar Cover” a while back. I bought it on DVD (we don’t get Hallmark channel here) and it is excellent. Clean, calm with many messages weaved through it. And I love the fact that it is violent free, sex free and the women dress nicely. I’m very impressed considering there is so much rubbish on TV these days. And the scenery is just gorgeous.
1 reply · active 547 weeks ago
Being organized is huge and helps a ton. Also, learning to say "no" and prioritize those things which are most important. Great tips. Thanks, Jo!
There is a woman in my Bible study who has demonstrated how to Biblically handle all lifes stresses. She was a stay at home mom of four. A few months ago her last one married. She had taken care of both her parents in her home. Her father passed away a few years ago, her mother passed away a few weeks after the recent wedding. They both required a LOT of her time. She lost a lot of sleep and had very little social life. But the point is, she had allowed herself to be in a position where she could be used. Her recent prayer request was that she would be a "Naomi" to her daughters-in-law.
Sure she had stress and I am sure she questioned her sanity on more than one occassion. But she was there for her family. Imagine if she was also trying to hold down a job? Her parents would have gone into a nursing home...a very sad place to be. And now, would she have the time or energy to be a wonderful mother in law?
I am glad God puts women like this in my life.

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