"Stress is far more
attitudinal than situational."
-- Alan Cohen
New: Audio version
[Classic post from 11-17-15]
Stress is not a thing. It is purely a thought in origin and a negative emotion as a result of that thought or thoughts about something real or unreal. We can have stress over things that are real, such as events, direct and indirect communications, and many other things that we can and have experienced. At the same time, we can experience the negative feeling of stress from those things or situations that are purely from our imagination. Stress is simply a thought that we choose.
But, here's the really interesting part: stress is never actually in the present. It is based on the past and projected to the future. I believe there are two easy ways to relieve ourselves of any stress. One is to choose a better feeling thought. Some struggle with that idea so here's number two: become present. Close your mind to the past and the future and see only this moment, experience only this moment. Stress cannot survive either.
The easy way to come into the present moment is to pay attention to something in your field of vision. Don't make any judgments about it, simply notice it. Another easy way is to pay attention to something going on in your body. Your tense muscles, your breathing, the itch on your forehead. Either of these brings us immediately into the present where there is no stress. Stress cannot exist when we are present--we have to be out of it in order to experience stress.
Isn't That Good News!
Spread Some Joy Today--by allowing yourself the pleasure of dropping the rope and taking a deep breath. OMG! There it is! It is joy!
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