Enough of living life like an ambulance, always being on an emergency mode.
STOP! …
There must be an explanation for the nagging headaches, constant mood swings, disorganization, unexplainable forgetfulness, unproductiveness, nervousness, overwhelming feelings, sleeplessness, frequent illnesses… because they cannot all just be coincidences.
It has become quite worrisome that a lot of people are really unaware of the adverse side effects their lifestyle has on their well-being only to realize when it’s too late.
Stress is a thief, don’t let it steal away your happiness and fulfillment in life. It should rather be nipped in the bud! But first, let’s understand what stress really is. It is simply our body’s reaction to circumstances of daily life especially ones that are perceived as threatening. When this happens, certain stress hormones such as Adrenaline and Cortisol are released into our blood stream aimed at preparing our body to either face or run away from the challenging circumstance. That’s why this response is called “the flight or fight” response.
For example,
If you were faced with a threatening situation such as:
being confronted by a large snake on your way home, you will typically get frightened and notice a speedy increase in your heart rate. You’ll also begin to sweat instantly and have various thoughts running through your mind.
At that time, Adrenaline surges through your body and you may find yourself running away from that situation or at least making an attempt to escape.
Also,
A less threatening situation like getting a new job can cause some level of stress as you prepare to face the new job and prepare to fit into the work demands of the new place.
This can also be experienced in other life’s event like getting married, having children, raising children and other day to day activities.
It is important to understand that stress hormones are not necessarily “bad hormones” in fact, they are necessary for our survival as humans but when our brain is constantly required to secrete more and more of these hormones, it hinders the performance of our immune system thereby causing us to be more susceptible to physical as well as psychological illnesses.
Remember that stress hormones are released when we perceive the circumstance as threatening. It therefore means that our “perception” of every single thing we go through is key in determining whether we become stressed or not. Also, our “reactions” to situations either cause us to accumulate stress or relieve it. Sadly, more people are accumulating than relieving.
The first step towards creating a new beginning is to take out some time to become aware of our stress triggers by studying our perception and reactions to events that we are faced with every day. Also, observe the impact of your perception and reaction to these events on your well-being.
Feel free to share your own experiences with us as you learn to become more conscious of the impact of your perception and reactions to daily life events.
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