Stress Kills, Don't Let Get You!
Without stress, life would be dull and unexciting. Stress makes life interesting and helps to motivate. Stress can inspire you to accomplish great things or too much stress can paralyze you with fear. Too much stress, can seriously affect your physical and mental well-being. Excessive amounts of stress have been shown to cause a wide range of illnesses. Ideally we want enough stress in our lives so that we are motivated but not overwhelmed.
During a stressful "situation", it's our thoughts or our interpretation of the situation that causes stress, not the situation itself. Once the stress cycle begins the brain signals the release of stress hormones. These hormones activate the "flight or fight" response. The body gears itself up for a burst of energy. Adrenalin is released into your body, your heartbeat speeds up and blood pressure increases. Blood supply is diverted away from the stomach and sent to your extremities.
We are never without stress; varying degrees of stress are with us all the time. But stress is not the same for everybody. Each one of us processes events and circumstances differently. The degree that we have stress is determined by our thoughts and emotions' concerning what is happening in our lives. This is important to understand, it's not what's happening to us but our interpretation of whets happening to us that causes stress. For example if you're a person who likes roller coasters going for a ride on one brings excitement and happiness. But if you don't like rollercoaster's, going on the same ride will bring fear and a good amount of stress. The rollercoaster didn't change but the interpretation of the two individuals is what changed.
How should you address stress?
Remove the stress- This is easier said then done in many cases, but by analyzing your stressful situations you might be able to think of a few ways to reduce the stressful situations in my life. By asking open ended questions your subconscious will respond with ideas on how you could reduce your stress. Be open to these ideas and do what you can to reduce your stress. Some questions you should be asking yourself are:
-What changes can I make in my life that will reduce my stress?
-Am I making too big of a deal out of things?
-What am I so worried about?
Exercise- I know it seems like exercise is a cure all for many of the things that ail us but exercise has been shown to reduce stress levels. Exercising on a regular basis provides the body a release mechanism for the built up stress. Exercising also causes the body to release endorphins. Endorphins are peptides that create a sense of well-being and happiness. These endorphins can help to counteract the negative feeling we have associated with stress.
Take good care of yourself- Get enough rest and eat a healthy diet. By taking care of yourself you will naturally build up your reserves so that when you do encounter stressful situations you will be better able to cope with them.
Have fun- Life is meant to be enjoyed. You must find time to play and enjoy yourself. Get involved in some activities, read a book or play with your kids. Do something that will bring a smile to your face. Even when your working you can take a few seconds throughout the day notice all the positive wonderful things in your life.
Hypnosis- Get a high quality stress reducing hypnosis recording. Hypnosis can help you to easily release the built up stresses in your life and show you how to view things differently so that you will be able to avoid those stressful feelings. The process of hypnosis is a very soothing and relaxing process.
By making some simple changes you can significantly reduce the stress you experience and live a longer, happier and healthier life. Begin today to feel better tomorrow.
