Stress Management in Five


“Stress is caused by being 'here' but wanting to be 'there'.”
― Eckhart Tolle

And there is nothing wrong with that.
There are many different reasons why stress exists in our lives. The most popular message about stress is that it is bad for you. I do not want to completely contradict that but angle our notions from a different perspective. Unmanaged stress can lead to chronic stress which tends to contribute to unhealthy conditions in our lives. The stress we regularly experience is not necessarily bad. It is a part of our lives.

Stress is what happens when we have to shift our thinking and go in a new direction. Stress happens when we have to meet a deadline. Stress happens when we have to run for our lives or plan for a dinner party. Can you imagine life without a little bit of stress?

I am already a master procrastinator, and without the energy I get from my stress reactions, I may sit on my butt forever and never put my plans into motion. I love Tolle's quote because it captures the essence of stress perfectly. Stress is the catalyst that our lives need and we are the change agent.
If you want to be there, you have to get yourself up and take action so that you will not be stuck in the 'here.'

In order to better take advantage of the energy that our stress produces we have to:

  1. Have a level of awareness of what triggers our stress
  2. Know yourself/your body and how you feel when you are stressed
  3. Make a plan to take action
  4. Do something. Whatever it is that you need to do that will get you closer to there.
  5. Lastly, decompress. You have to take some time to relax and unwind. Even if it is ten minutes toward the end of your day. 

Whatever you do, keep moving forward and remember to breathe.

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