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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Time management is one of my biggest stressors. And lately I am having added stress learning how to parent my teenage daughter who chooses to engage in self-harming behaviors.
There are so many stressful situations in my life at the moment. My finances, my children and their situations in their homelife aren’t good and worry about my 2 almost 2 year old grandchildren who life in those homes right now.
The stressors of handling/disciplining behaviors and attitudes my kids portray on a regular basis.
I am stressed right now due to the suicide of my niece. The sudden, unexpected loss has caused me to lose focus on day to day things.
M. Waters
Love the 7 day diet, now would be thrilled even more to have a copy of “Stressed-less”. You are awesome at sharing God’s word. Keep it up!
My weight is causing me stress… I just can’t get motivated to diet and exercise.
My marriage is causing me stress. I am considering a separation after 13 years of marriage, where the last 9 have been a big struggle. This is a very difficult and stressful situation.
My dad has been diagnosed with Alzhemier’s and my mother has not come to terms with it yet and it has been approximately a 1 1/2 since diagnosis. My sister lives in the same town, but does not really check on them. But when I read this my thoughts were really of my friend who is not feeling well and has RA and is stressed out over a aging mother, no health insurance and felt like this book would be beneficial to her.
I would say that I find the speed of life stressful and overwhelming. It can be difficult to figure out what I need to do and what I is just busyness.
Would love to read this book.
I am stressed because of a loved ones lifestyle.
My mother has an as yet undiagnosed mass on her (non alcoholic) cirrhotic liver. It is in the process of being diagnosed. My step father, mothers husband, with severe althzeimers and Parkinson’s and’ has a tumor in his pancreas and a cyst on his liver and is in the nursing home 1/2 mile from my mother. They live 17 miles from my home. My older sister who is almost blind, and is single; retired from her job to move in with our mother to care for her. I am 51 and a Mental Health/Counseling Graduate Student. And I care for my inlaws, Father in law with Althzheimers, Mother in law with Macular Degeneration. AND I am pursing this study on a Call from our Lord. He is carrying me through. He will not carry me where His grace will not cover me and deliver me! Today, I discover I may have plurisy in my right lung. The pain is incredible! I allow my self a stress and pitty party…Like today…I have a mid term this week and need to study!
Praying for each of you right now. My stress has been stretching me in so many directions lately but as I read your stories the hard things we are going through seem manageable – although they have felt monumental for the past few weeks. Right now, my greatest stress is working from home with a toddler who has special needs that include a severe speech disorder, sensory processing disorder, anxiety and sleep disorders and developmental delays that require physical and occupational therapy each week. I want to give her all that I can to help her grow and become all Jesus created her to be – while also giving my teenage boys the attention they need and somehow figure out how to fulfill GOd’s calling on our lives in ministry. Finding a new normal is our prayer and goal these days.
So where did you get your SUPERWOMAN Tattoo? LOL!
HA HA. If I had one it would wash off Im sure! :0)
Thank you for writing the book & following God when you resigned your job! My current stress is finding out girlfriends (so called christians & some not) are gossiping/spreading lies about me behind my back. It has been stressful, painful & downright ugly. What’s worse was finding out your long time friend (so called christian/not really) of 28-30 years cuts me off as a FB friend ~ talk about stress, shocking & heart-wrenching pain & tears, not including the physical side effects of these situations. I know it was a test from the Devil & he’s trying to win my joy. I’ve been praying for all the ladies who have gossip behind my back & the Lord to give me the attitude to “forgive them for they don’t know what they’ve done”. I would LOVE a copy of your book. My previous stress was caregiving for my mother who passed away last year.
God bless you!
Strew can be so consuming. I have been searching for a book to do a small group.
study on with my friends. This just might be the book.
Stress not stew!!!!!! Can you tell I am stressed? Lol
Stress is hard to avoid. Learing to completly trust God to help us with it is the key. Any help and insight would be much appreciated. I have learned so much from the different books that Proverbs 31 has offered. Would love to read this book.
Going through a ton of stress, lost house, lost husband, firstborn daughter husband left her with 2 kids, no where to live, no jobs, etc… yes it does affect health. We will get through it all by the grace and peace and strength of God.
I have a job that basically I am on call all the time. My time is not my own. Whenever I plan something fun or relaxing it never fails, the phone rings and there go my plans. To make matters worse, my sister-in-law was diagnosed with melanoma yesterday. We just lost my father-in-law to melanoma 1-1/2 yrs ago. I am not looking forward to going through this all again. Just when I thought my life was finally getting back to normal . . . I feel like I’m complaining but that’s what you all asked us to do. Thank the Lord I have the Lord in my life and I just finished Renee’s Confident Heart bible study which was WONDERFUL!! Highly recommend her book.
As soon as I saw the title of this book on my facebook feed I had to find out about it! Especially when I found out that you were giving away 3 free copies ;). And Free is good for me! I’m a full time mom of a toddler and a teenager, pastor’s wife, volunteer children’s director at church, homeschooling mom, and did I mention full time mom of a teenager and a toddler! I fight against anxiety and stress daily. I’m so tired of living that way. I know that I can’t avoid all the pressures and responsibilities ministry and of life, but I know I have to allow the Lord to take control of the anxiety and stress. Please pick me!! I would love to read your new book 🙂
I am currently homeschooling our 5 children (range in age: 8-12 – I have 2 sets of twins – 22 months apart), and although the younger years seemed to have been very stressful and pulling me in lots of directions – it seems the older years are not only stressful with time and energy, but also with emotions!!! I took the call of homeschooling very well last year – but I am not an organized person – trying to keep up with 5 at home, and their education, and the house and all that goes with it – needless to say there are a lot of days it’s just hard! Everyone is encouraging, reminding me that God will not give us more than we can handle – there are days I do question that. I know that with homeschooling I have learned more about my own shortcomings/ failings than my kids’. I am thankful for the days of having my kids at home, just need to learn to stress less and live more!
I should have read some earlier posts…..please don’t include me in the drawing – yes my life is stressed, but there are lots that are more stressful than mine. I will look forward to purchasing a copy of your book soon!
Have 2 kids in college. Learning to let go, stop trying to fix things when they make their own choices even if they are bad ones, give up control and surrender them to the Lord.