Water finds its way
Water finds its way. Gravity pulls it down.
Without awareness and a thoughtful plan of action things are gonna rot.
The same is true for stress. Be it an external pressure or an internal “should”… the impact of the trickle down on your health and happiness can show up as:
- Irritability/ anger or Restlessness/ muscle tension
- Loss of motivation/ focus or fatigue/ withdrawal
The first instinct when these come up may be to turn outward for relief, like:
- Venting/ complaining or blaming/ avoiding
- Drinking/ drug use or shopping/ overeating
Living in a hut on a beach somewhere isn’t an option for most...and heck you’d probably find stress there too if you aren’t truly aware of what’s underneath the discontent.
You can’t change how many hours are in a day or how many emails come in, but you can choose how you approach, process and respond to whatever comes your way, at work, home or anywhere in between.
Stressors/Triggers are an opportunity to help us grow in relationship to self and others. It’s not about avoiding or making them disappear. It's about changing your relationship with them by shifting your focus inward and creating a new, healthier response. When a person or situation leaves you crazed consider the following:
- Why is this really bothering me so much? Is it because it activates a deeper, old desire for approval, security, self worth or safety? The path to freedom is in that questioning. Stay compassionate and non-judgmental.
- Have I not communicated a boundary that I need to? Perhaps you feel angry/frustrated because you said “yeah sure” and meant “oh heck NO” Stress builds as you hold in your feelings/needs plus worry about their response when you spill the beans.
Be kind, compassionate and patient with yourself and others...Everyone is going through this process, at varying levels and to the best of their ability.
