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Taking time to breathe
Spirituality can bring serenity and perspective to a stressful life

by maxine glass

Lori Beamon spends an average day as a Milwaukee public school teacher struggling to cram knowledge into the brains of blossoming adolescents. Inevitably, the students present problems and those problems bring stress. Every day she faces kids with raging hormones, defiant attitudes and general teenage rebellion. But she finds release in a simple question some young professionals may not think to ask. “I know it’s a cliché now,” she says, “but I ask myself, ‘What would God do?’”

For so many Beamon’s age, the words “stress” and “young professionals” are inextricably linked. At 35, she balances a taxing career and a personal life packed with added expectations. Striking the balance, for her, means fighting stress through spirituality.

As the job market grows more competitive and the U.S. economy continues to struggle, the consequences directly affect young professionals. If and when they actually get a job, they must prove themselves exceptional candidates and follow through on that expectation. An investment banker straight out of college expects to work more than 60 hours a week. But knowing that doesn’t make it any easier. In fact, 62 percent of Americans say work has a significant impact on stress levels and two-thirds are likely to seek help for stress, according to the American Psychological Association.

While it’s easy for job-hungry employment seekers to hear Mom say they’re not getting enough sleep or eating right, practical solutions aren’t always readily available. Young professionals are some of the hardest working individuals in the country, not only because they want to be, but because they are expected to be. But with increasing levels of stress, young professionals worry about potential side effects and repercussions. “So often people deal with stress in unhealthy ways like drinking and overworking, ways that don’t serve them well,” says Karen Carnabucci, who describes her title as psychotherapist, coach and educator.

Pastor Bill Knapp of Fox Point Church finds that young professionals seek out his guidance when they don’t know where else to turn. “They are hoping that I can guide them how they can use their faith to find what they are missing and to heal what is hurting,” he says. This healing comes in different forms for different people. Some, like Beamon, find solace in prayer, while for others the experience is more about the community. Rabbi Jonathon Biatch of Temple Beth El in Madison believes their strong community creates a low-stress environment that attracts young professionals.

But spirituality doesn’t have to include religious prayer, it can be as simple as deep breathing, providing that it results in an inner peace. Carnabucci says stress release may be enjoying a warm bath or have a cup of relaxing tea. She believes that relieving stress can be a natural process. “My emphasis when I work with people about stress is to explore how they can relieve stress in healthy ways,” she says. As a proponent of holistic healing and a founder of “Companions in Healing”—a holistic center in Racine, clients seek her out for therapy about various work-related stresses because traditional techniques have failed.

For such people who go to bed each night wishing for extra hours in the day, the opportunity to experience a release is especially appealing. Beamon finds she feels most rejuvenated after singing and participating in church. Speaking genuinely with deference and enthusiasm, Beamon says that her frequent visits to church give her a sense of purpose. Her laundry list of commitments and positions in the church is both admirable and exhausting. “Ever since I’ve been in church I’ve done activities,” she says. She was a student herself in the choirs and Sunday School, both of which she taught for a period of time. She also helps out in the church office when they’re short-staffed and works on the church wedding ministry to assist couples in preparation for their wedding.

And while it may stress some people just listening to Beamon’s responsibilities, being active in her church is part of her spiritual release. Many young professionals may look incredulously at Beamon’s schedule as they find it hard to make time for spirituality when they barely have time to sleep. The general consensus across religious and spiritual leaders and young professionals alike is that all it takes is a little prioritizing. “I think you’ve got to make time for it. If you make the time, you will be surprised about the welcome benefits,” says Rev. Darryl Williams of St. Mark’s, where Beamon attends services. He believes young professionals need to take time to “sharpen the soul,” a biblical term that refers to pausing for renewal and prayer instead of grinding away at a “dull soul.”

Biatch, however, takes a more pragmatic approach with an acute recognition of today’s young professionals. He states that people need to schedule their worship time into their PDAs. He thinks that it is essential to book one’s free time to ensure that everything gets done. Carnabucci agrees that creating an agenda or keeping a diary can be an excellent way to manage time and keep everything under control. But she warns against over-committing oneself as well. She advises clients to “pick and choose what you enjoy doing and what is enough for your schedule.”

This does involve some prioritizing, but not so surprisingly, spirituality ranks high on the “to do” list for young professionals. In terms of her own hierarchy of necessities, Beamon likens the situation to people who pay themselves before paying creditors. “I pay myself first by going to church,” she says.  

Of all the responsibilities in a young professional’s life, religion could actually be the easiest to slip into the schedule. Biatch thinks that because religion does not operate on any fixed schedule, it is more approachable than other outlets. He can be available outside the hours of nine and five, which is undoubtedly appealing to a businessperson who never sees daylight.

Above all, Knapp believes that people need to have perspective when dealing with their stress. “Spirituality is about seeing with new eyes,” he explains. “And none of that may have anything to do with where you work or how high you ascend in the corporate ranks.” It sounds so simple, but in reality the pressures to succeed may weigh heavily on someone’s commitment to his job and the stresses in his life.

©curb magazine - winter 2005
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