During my professional life, I had health issues, irritations, and frustrations. I was always angry and lost interest in things I formerly enjoyed. Although I know that it was due to stress, anxieties, and tensions, I wasn’t aware of how to manage stress.
These days we want everything instant.
Instant noodles, instant coffee, instant messaging.
What happens?
We are becoming impatient, rushed, and frustrated.
The consequence? More stress.
Stress has been called the “Worldwide Epidemic” by the World Health Organization
In Singapore stress has been cited as the top risk to employee health, and statistics says that 56 percent of employees are stressed.
That means one out of every two people are stressed.
Even my 5-year-old daughter sometimes says, “Mama, I am sooooo stressed…”
I remember my days in the office. Stress affected my health, my sleep, and my relationships. Have you ever had that problem?
As a health coach, I help others to reduce stress and live healthier, happier, and more productive lives.
Based on my research, I would like to share with you three dimensions of stress.
1. What is STRESS?
Stress is the body’s reaction to any physical or emotional changes.
There are two types of stress: eustress and distress.
Not all stress is bad. Stress is required to keep us moving and take challenges; this is called Eustress. But the stress that affects us physically, mentally, and emotionally is bad stress … which is Distress.
2. WHAT TRIGGERS STRESS and how does it control you?
You get stressed when you are NUTS!
N-U-T-S is an acronym that explains what causes stress.
Novelty – Something new you are going to experience, e.g., you have been made responsible for a big project in your office.
Unpredictability – Stress due to unpredictable events, e.g., system shutdown just before your project rollout.
Threat to ego – E.g., when your competence is threatened in front of your colleagues.: Your colleague gets that promotion when you are the most deserving candidate. such as when your boss asks you to accept help from your junior colleague).
Sense of control – When you feel you are not in control. You feel under siege. E.g. You badly need that promotion, but it’s not in your hand.
Have you ever observed what happens to your body when you get stressed?
The hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland and cortisol is released, which increases your heart rate, increases your pulse rate, elevates your blood pressure, increases sweating, increases blood sugar levels, and digestion stops. Your whole body is trying to cope with stress.
Based on my research and observations of people who come to me for therapy, 90 percent of the root cause of all illness is stress.
3. How to lead a stress-free life?
Do you want a happy, healthy, and stress-free life? Then we need balance in our physical, mental and emotional levels. And how can we do that? Yoga has the answer.
Physical – Yoga postures help to release strain, tightness and pain, and improve blood circulation. With better circulation, it relaxes body parts instantly.
Gentle sun salutations are a full body and mind workout. Poses like Shanshakasana, Padhastasana, Janu Shirshasana, and Sarvangasana help reduce stress and tension.
Take the guidance of a yoga teacher before you do these poses.
Mental – Do you know that in 85 percent of cases, the mind is the root of all problems?
Breathing techniques help to clear the thoughts and bring you to the present moment. Deep breathing relaxes the body and calms down your mind. Read ‘How to practice deep breathing.’
Meditation brings clarity of thoughts, understanding of the situation, and helps you to make better decisions. Read about meditation.
Emotional – A calm mind and relaxed body has great power to control emotions. Meditation and mindfulness help to bring balance on an emotional level.
With balanced emotions, you respond less. You become resilient, empathetic, patient, flexible, and more.
When you are stressed, PAUSE. When you are angry, PAUSE. When you are in doubt, PAUSE. When you are tired, PAUSE…. It helps to solve many problems.
“Yoga takes you into the present moment. The only place where life exists.” If you remain in this moment, not in the present or future, there will not be any stress.
Stress management is life management. If you take control of your stress, your life will thank you for that.
In my offering of yoga therapies, I have seen cases where people have come out of stress, anxieties and stress-related health issues by regular practice of yoga, breathing, meditation, and mindfulness.
Do you think you have no time for yoga, but have time for Facebook?
If you really don’t have time for both, you can contact me for more tips… 🙂
Every day brings a choice to practice stress or to practice peace.
And what you practice, you get better at…
If you practice stress, you will get better at it.
If you practice peace, you will get it in abundance.
If you balance your physical, mental, and emotional states, your life becomes beautiful, happy, and joyous. When that happens, there is no stress.
Do you wish to get help to manage stress or stress-related health issues? Do you need to know the techniques to manage stress and lead a stress-free life?
Leave your email address and number. We will reach out to you.
