The following was an inspirational message that was delivered to the entire Agahozo-Shalom community by one of our beloved ASYV Family Mothers during Village Time on June 14, 2013                                                                                                     

I am very happy to be here in front of you in this moment. I want to tell you some realities of life.

In our daily life, we have constant stress: stress of our activities, our studies, and our job. We stress about many different problems. I would like to remind you of some strategies you may use in order to avoid or to slow down stress. 

I have used these strategies in my own long life, until now. They are helpful. They are true.

Here are those strategies:

• 1. Manage your time effectively, which means to have a schedule and to follow it.
• 2. Be where you must be on time.
• 3. Do well what you have to do.
• 4. Keep a positive attitude.
• 5. Accept that there are some situations we can’t control.
• 6. Get ready all the things you will need tomorrow before you go to bed. For example, notebooks, clothes, pens…
• 7. Share your problems with someone who can help you to resolve them.
• 8. Get enough rest and sleep.
• 9. Have time for fun and relaxation: You can practice sports, listen to music of your choice, visit a friend  who can make you smile, read an interesting book, sing or dance and so on…
• 10. At the end of the day, take a few minutes to evaluate yourself. How was the day?  Take a few minutes to think about how to have positive thoughts about tomorrow. Think, “Tomorrow will be a successful day.”
• 11. Don’t forget to drink enough water; without water there is no life.

In Conclusion: Be communicative with a positive attitude.  Just be honest with yourself and others.

Use these, and you will find your success in everything, without stress in your present and future life.

Submitted by Mama Daphrose Kamanzi