So Long, Stress!

When most people think of stress, they probably think in terms of their overbearing boss, their adorable children that love to run, scream, and break things...or perhaps they think of that aching tension right in between their shoulder blades or that low back pain that's just begging for an acupressure session.

Kind of a self-defeating attitude, if you ask me. But before we get into how to maintain a proper balance in our lives, let's first look at the types of stress, and its various sources.

There are two different kinds of stress we need to be aware of as we go through our lives. They are:

- Distress - Generally looked at as an unhealthy state of either depression or over-stimulation in the mind and/or body, which can come from a variety of sources.

- Eustress - Generally looked at as a healthy state; an uplifting feeling of fulfillment. I'm likin' the look of this one!

And on top of that, physical distress can manifest from different sources, including

- Mental sources, such as that report that just HAS to get done by 5:00, or you're in trouble.

- Emotional sources, such as a rough divorce, or a loss of a loved one.

- And of course, there are physical sources, such as an injury, too much exercise, too LITTLE exercise, improper posture, muscle imbalances, improper diet, lack of water, drugs, too much alcohol, too much caffeine, etc.

But I have a breakthrough solution! Just buy this Person-Encasing Livable Bubble for only 3 easy payments of $999.99, and you'll be completely separated from the rest of the world and stress-free FOREVER!

...What do you mean, that will never work?! Dang it, what am I going to do with all these bubbles...

Sorry to break it to you, but life is filled with ups and downs. It's as true for you as it is for me, and I'm not going to sugar-coat it. Sugar isn't good for you, and it won't help you on the road to lifelong health and happiness.

The good news is that each of us has the power to make choices that can greatly impact our lives. How we learn to deal with stress is as important as how we prevent it from entering our lives in the first place.

Look at the lists again. You have direct control over most of the examples mentioned, and direct control over how your mind reacts to everything else. Sure, you're going to experience life's challenges from time to time. But that shouldn't stop you from being everything you can be.

Take charge of your life. I can't do it for you! But, I will do my best to help point you in the right direction so you can get started right away.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have an entire warehouse full of giant bubbles that I need to play with! =P