Over the years, Natural Awakenings has included national and local articles about stress. While blood pressure is known as a silent killer, stress is its psychological counterpart.

According to Wikipedia, “Psychological stress is the feeling of emotional pain and pressure. In small doses it can be beneficial, when related to sports as an example, again in small doses it can be motivating.” However, I am not referring to good stress. Nor am I referring to major stressors such as divorce, losing a job, major illness, death of a friend or family member or moving. These are automatic stressors for most of us. I am talking about hidden stress. The kind that starts small and eventually turns into discomfort with odd aches and pains, an uncomfortable lack of motivation, nervous energy and a variety of other feelings that trigger stress.

Things often slip into my mental field without attracting attention. Worry over something I have no control. Misperceptions of words, conversations, or business-related relationships that can create reactions that are not based on facts but misplaced feelings. Emotional challenges that make me sweat, increase my blood pressure and short circuit my brain. When I add in everyday life responsibilities and challenges, I come back to the knowledge that stopping in my tracks and paying attention is paramount. It’s the little things that I ignore that are guaranteed to peck away at me and become my kryptonite. 

Everyone knows one of my favorite lines is “The quality of my thinking is in direct proportion to the quality of my life.” Changing the amount of stress I carry is directly influenced by my thinking and actions, so the first question is always “what do I have control over?” From there I can start the process in determining the proper action for a solution or adjustment.

The steps for working with myself are always the same:  slow down, examine the facts, let go, let it be, control what I can, pat myself on the back for taking good action, readjust my attitude and remember to love myself. That is my default starting point to changing the things I can by disrupting the mental cycle as quickly as possible.

One of my core values is “to thine own self be true.” I know when I do the right thing to address my stress, I feel better and more like the truth of me. And that’s a good thing to feel.

With overwhelming gratitude to all of our readers, clients and advertisers, we thank you for being part of our Natural Awakenings community.

Joe & Asta Dunne, Publisher