Stress. I do not know anyone that does not experience it. Some of us deal with it daily, while for others it is more situational. No matter how or where stress shows up, it is never good for us yet we have become used to it and possibly even a bit addicted to it.

The thing is that stress is a motivator. It pushes us to get things done. It is also very acceptable in our society. If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone say, “I am so busy” or “I am so stressed,” I would have a lot of nickels! 

If you relate to saying these statements, please STOP. You do not want to follow “I am” with things you do not want because it just reinforces it and attracts it to you. 

Stress wreaks havoc on our body, mind, and spirit. It jacks up our cortisol, throws off our hormones, taxes our digestion and disconnects us from our intuition during the times we need it most. 

I know you know that stress is not good for you. So how do you de-stress? Does it require a trip to the Bahamas? No…not at all. Actually a vacation is more an escapism tactic than an actual cure for stress. 

Here’s what does help: a daily meditation practice, breathing, decreasing sugar and caffeine, saying no, delegating, bringing yourself consistently back to the present moment, time blocking, stopping procrastination, ditching perfectionism, and time in nature.   

But sometimes even implementing all of the above does not alleviate our stress because we have not dealt with the core issue of what the stress is TRULY about.

Your stress is not coming from your job, your kids, your partner, your finances or your health. Your stress is coming from how you relate to the circumstances of your life. 

What I have discovered in my own life and after 13 years of coaching others is that limiting beliefs and old patterns from our past are what perpetuate stress more than anything else. An example will make this more clear. Growing up I had health issues and was also bullied. These things created the limiting beliefs that There is something wrong with my body and People do not like me. Because of these BS beliefs, I was consistently on alert for something to go wrong physically and really self-conscious about how I interacted in the world and how I was perceived. Can you see how this would create stress in my life?

Life can be challenging and there are plenty of invitations to create stress so when we do not get to the core of how and why we relate to our life in a stress-producing way, we will never feel relief. @ChristinHassler (Click to Tweet!)

With Love,

Christine

P.S. I have a new podcast where I coach people LIVE on the air. Head over to Over it and On With It and listen in for inspiration and action steps

Christine Hassler has broken down the complex and overwhelming experience of recovering from disappointment into a step-by-step treatment plan in her new book Expectation Hangover. This book reveals the formula for how to process disappointment on the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual levels to immediately ease suffering. Instead of wallowing in regret, self-recrimination, or anger, we can see these experiences as catalysts for profound transformation and doorways that open to possibility. You can find more info on her website, and follow her on Twitter and FB.

Image Courtesy of RyanMcguire.