Does stress impact our confidence? Today I’ve asked my friend Tracie Miles, author of Stressed-Less Living to share how stress once diminished her confidence and threw her into a pit of doubt causing her to question her ability to fulfill God’s plans for her life.
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Although it was seven years ago, I remember it as if it were yesterday. Every morning I dragged myself out of bed, dreading another stressful and emotionally draining day at my job. A job which I had grown to hate, working for a supervisor whom I had grown to fear.
Not only was I overwhelmed with job stress, I was trapped in a deep pit of despair that was filled to the brim with doubt, low self esteem and zero confidence.
My heart and my mind were ravaged with turmoil. I had a demanding and stressful workload and a supervisor who used continual harsh words and often unwarranted criticism.
Even though I gave 100% and tried to do my best, I started doubting whether or not I was good at my job. Eventually my doubts began to creep into my personal life as well. Thoughts like “maybe I’m not a good enough wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend…” plagued my heart. Self condemnation started consuming my thoughts, and eventually I hit an all time low in self-confidence.
Juggling all the stress and pressures of the workplace was nothing compared to trying to carry the crushing weight of self-doubt.
The time finally came when I admitted I needed to make a change in my life. You see, I knew God had been calling me for several years to lay down my job, and allow Him to lead me into new places, but I had been too afraid and too insecure. But change was necessary, or else my physical and emotional health would continue to decline.
I resigned from that position, and although I no longer had the stress of corporate responsibilities, my life was still filled with many other stressors. Yet, upon leaving my job, I picked up my Bible more than ever before. And when I started making my walk with Christ a priority, I came to realize that even though my life was still stressful, my heart was at peace.
Why? Because as my faith grew, my self confidence grew with it. You see, I was coming to realize that my value is based on who I am in Christ, not who a supervisor said I was. I embraced the acceptance and value God promises, tucked in Deuteronomy 14:2, which says “You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure.” (NLT)
As my heart slowly healed from the brokenness of a broken person’s words, my spirit began to soar. God helped me understand that my value lies in Him, not in the approval or acceptance of the world. I need not base my self worth, intelligence or value based on what man or woman says, but on what God says about me instead.
It was a long journey, but the more I kept my eyes focused on Christ, the more my self confidence increased. I not only discovered my confidence again, I also learned that God is the answer to our stress, no matter what form it comes in.
And I finally found a calmness in my spirit that was not present simply because I left a stressful job, but because I had embraced my unstressed God: a Savior who loved me, despite my mistakes, sins and imperfections. My Jesus who told me I was His precious treasure, even if nobody else saw my worth, including myself.
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God not only showed Tracie the path to acceptance, self-confidence, and worth in Him, but He used her experiences as the training ground to build a story in her life which is now the basis of her new book, Stressed-Less Living: Finding God’s Peace In Your Chaotic World.
Today we’re giving away 3 signed copies to three of you! Leave a comment below this post and share with us something that is currently causing you stress. I’ll share too.
To find out more, be sure to visit Tracie’s Stressed-Less Living website: www.stressedlessliving.com . And if you purchase Stressed-Less Living between Sept 30-Oct 7th you’ll receive 7 FREE GIFTS.
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Right now all of my stress is health related to me. I can’t do much.
Thanks for the chance to win. Can’t wait to read the book.
Tracie’s excerpt describes exactly how I feel every day. It is a consuming feeling that has stolen the joy out of my life. I must read this book!
My son has Asperger’s Syndrome and is still dealing with the affects of Viral Meningitis almost a year ago. He has spinal inflammation and nerve damage in his legs. He’s being homeschooling. I am taking 3 college courses, 2 of which are 5 weeks long at the same time. It’s been very intense lately.
My stress is hormone related issue with husband, problem with employee at work, and health of widowed mother. Would love to get a copy of book!
Keeping up with aging parents.
Drug addictions with my family members! It’s difficult and some of the scariest situations my family has faced! I’d love and enjoy getting to read this book. I pray answers will come out and in addition to great release, forgiveness & freedom! I feel like stress is all I know anymore. I feel tested and confused but my faith keeps pushing me forward!
My name is STRESS I pray that one day it’s released and I never have to look back. 🙁
I would love to read this book!!
This book sounds great. I was really at a breaking point earlier today. Just feeling the heavy weight of single parenthood, and all the stress that comes with that, and also needing to find work to just keep a roof over our heads. Really just feeling overwhelmed and very much “on my own”, in this single parenthood journey right now.
I know God’s ways are best, but the reality of it all is very daunting sometimes.
I don’t even think of it as stress any more, it’s just LIFE!! Six years ago we went from a 2 income 1 house family to a 1 income 2 house family… trying to get our youngest daughter out of a bad situation, we packed up and moved from FL to NC right as the housing market crashed! We know that we did the right thing, God absolutely put us here in this community, to raise our 10 year old son – even though our daughter rejected us and our efforts to help her… I work part time, but my main job these days is taking care of our 8 acre farm, the house, chickens, horses, rabbits, dogs and dairy goats… and it’s HARD! I am almost 50… My husband is gone 12 hours a day 5 days a week, and though he is EXCELLENT at what he does, it almost isn’t enough to pay the bills these days… God always provides, even though the numbers are impossible and have been impossible since we moved, and cannot get the house in FL sold… lately we have had extra expenses and, honestly, I just dont know how we’re going to make it… but I will continue to TRUST that God knows our needs, and He will provide as He always has, but it is HARD some days when nothing makes sense and you’re staring at what appears to be impossible. That, my friend, is STRESS… if it wasn’t for our faith, and commitment to the bible which says to honor your debts (despite the world’s voice, which says let that house go back to the bank!), we would be in a new world of hurt. Doesn’t mean it is easy, but it is manageable with God on our side… Thank you, Jesus!
Would love to read the book.
I, also, could not find a place to enter to win one of the copies being given away. Thanks for helping us figure this out. Blessings!
I would love to win a copy of this book. It looks fabulous. Going to pin it right now 🙂
I clicked on every possible thing on the website and couldn’t find any information about winning one of the free copies. Hmmm . . .
Leaving a comment is all you need to do to enter. Sorry that detail was missing when I first posted today.
I don’t see anywhere to enter for the signed copies. Do we just leave a comment here?
HI friends,
So sorry I wasn’t clear on how to enter when I first posted this. :0) Just leaving a comment is all you need to do.
I had a job where I was so stressed out that I went to the doctor for help. I told him I did not want something for depression because I was not depressed. I was so stressed out to the point of being burnt out. He wrote me out a prescription for a pill and sent me on my way. I finally quit that job but unfortunately went from the frying pan into the fire and ended up with no job. I am now back in church and am on th road to recovery but am scared it will happen again if I go back to working in the same line of work. I would like to win a copy of this book so I can prepare myself for what God has in store for me. Thank you. I loved reading your Confident Heart.
I’m looking forward to reading her book!
Her 10 day detox was amazing! Proverbs 31 is amazing in my life right now!!!
i agree. all sorts of great stuff to read and learn. its my life too.
Stress can lead to all kinds of bodily side effects…I know, I’ve had about all of them I think!! I am learning now matter how much I stress out about a situation, it’s always out of my control. God is and always has been in control of every situation!!
i have so much stress that i have constant heartburn in my throat and chest. also IBS.
Renee, Hi! how have you been lately? this book sounds good.
The statement written from the book was very useful this morning. I still get up in the morning; and I am just now starting to want to get up and know it’s God’s day. I need to rely on him for every thing. I also feel God is possiblly wanting to make some changes in my life and I’m scared of it. I need to remember it’s in Gods hands and what ever he wants to do is ok. I use to have the same type of boss and can relate to what you are talking about what ever the boss did (well, the picking about everything was hard,) I knew I could do my job, but when she was around I began to wonder. I would have to pray before I could ever go to work every day that God would work through me, and help me to know what to do each day. Those are the days I would ahave a good day, But, if I didn’t have my time with God first, I would have a really bad day with the boss wondering about me. I must state hear and now, I had know idea at the time I was coming down with diabetes, which will threw of your ability to think. But, I am a person that suffers from depression. but, I also know the job God gave me was mine for a season and I know he has something else in mind for me. I just get scared of changes. I know you undersstand what I am talking about. Thank you for listening, and for being able to read what she put down. God bless your dayl. Cindy
My daughter sent this to me. I too have been so buried in a stress-filled life. My job, life, and low self esteem where killing me. Here I was a Christian, pastor’s wife, Sunday school teacher, mother and grandmother. I had forgotten how to live and sometimes felt I had to remind myself to just breathe. I have determined to gain my life back and follow God’s lead to a better way.