When It Rains, It Pours: 5 Strategies for Stressful Seasons

Jena Muhr shares five tips for handling those times when life brings extra stress.

Life can be described as being at a “sprinkle” level of stress most of the time, and we’re often used to this. But there are times when more things and events happen, and oh my goodness. It can seem as if everything is happening all at once. It’s pouring! These are some ways that I have found to help me navigate periods of a lot of rain.  

Take a deep breath and pray.

Say a quiet prayer to God, Jesus, Mother Mary, the Saint of the day, and your Guardian Angel (and anyone else you want to call to your aid) to bless you, your rain, and the day. This can be as short as ten seconds or as long as ten minutes. This prayer is a reframe in that you are not alone in what is going on and that, with God’s help, we can do anything. 

Make a list.

I love lists. They help me keep all the balls that I have in the air up and allow me to look at what I have done rather than just all the things that need to be done. You can write all the lists, even if it’s a list of all the things that are going on, on a piece of paper or in the notes app on a phone or on post-it notes. Whatever helps you to get all of the thoughts out of your head and on to something that you feel you have more control over. Sometimes I find that the act of writing them down is more powerful for my own peace of mind than getting all of those tasks done. But checking off items that need to be done is very rewarding. 

Be where you are in that moment.

When there is a lot in life going on and it’s pouring rain, I find myself having a very hard time keeping my thoughts and what I do in one spot. Stress spiraling is something that doesn’t do anyone any good and will lead to frustration, overwhelm and a stress-induced headache. A friend told me a long time ago that she leaves herself notes during periods of a lot of rain to be where her butt is. When I leave myself notes to “be where my butt is” I will have one on my bathroom mirror, my car dash, on my laptop and have even changed the lock screen of my phone.  

Recognize that all you can do is your best.

There are times that I have some strong perfectionistic tendencies, and this can get in the way of me being there for others, getting things done, or being too hard on myself that I get trapped in a stress loop. There is only one perfect person who has lived, and it is definitely not me. So I take a deep breath, remind myself that I can only do my best for that day and my best might look different on different days. And that is OK. 

Get rest.

At the end of the day. Update the list of all the things going on. All the things that need to be done. Anything that is adding to your feelings of stress and adding drops to the rain. Write them all down so you don’t have to carry them all night long. Say a prayer that God, Jesus, Mother Mary, the saint of the day and your Guardian Angel (and anyone else you want to call to your aid) will look over all the people, tasks, to-dos and worries on the list while you rest so that you can get up in the morning and be the umbrella in the rain again. Rest is so important when there is a lot going on. I have found this to be so helpful in putting my worries in trusted hands so that I can gain the rest and strength to be there the next day. If I wake up worried or feel that I still cannot relax, a glass of wine (or beverage of choice) and adding a few more worries, tasks or to do the list (no matter how small) works wonders. This does take practice but can be so beneficial. 

These are just a few tips that I have found works for me in working through stressful times. Although not perfect I find that the more I practice these things the easier it gets to pull these tools or others like them that serve me in my time of need. I cannot control everything, but I can control how I respond. With a deep breath, a sense of humor, a good night's rest, and God’s support, I can do pretty much anything set before me. 

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Copyright 2025 Jena Muhr
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