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Stress is part of everything we do. Our bodies thrive on stress. It’s often what motivates us to change and do something in a different way. It’s not the stress itself that is harmful; it’s our reaction to the stress that creates changes in our bodies. Our personal perception of stress has a much larger impact than what someone else may call stress. How we react to the stress in our lives can cause physiological changes in the body — for better or worse — including the heart.

In a stressful situation we have a choice in how we respond. This awareness can begin to re-pattern our behaviors.

When we find ourselves in a stressful situation and can remember that we have a choice in how we respond, this awareness can begin to re-pattern our behaviors. The more often that we practice slowing down and quieting the mind – such as breathing, relaxation and meditation — the more often we’re able to hold a space for healthier, more effective reactions to stress to emerge and be practiced.

Our response time gets longer and so does our fuse. Mastering a more spacious response time doesn’t just happen from a one-time practice.  Overtime,  it’s quite gratifying to notice that the things that used to bother us simply don’t anymore. We may not even recognize our new way of responding. People say to me, “I just don’t find myself in stressful situations very often any more.” Did something outside of them change? Probably not. But their reaction to those situations most likely changed dramatically.

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I Invite You to Take the 30 Day Challenge

Practice one hour of stress management a day including: gentle yoga movements, breathing, meditation, relaxation and Imagery. If you like one of these practices more than the others, do more of that practice.

If you don’t notice a change in how you are responding to the stressors in your life, you can get your money back. Wait….there is no money needed, just your commitment and a joyful investment of your time.

Let us know, what do you notice?  What used to bother that simply doesn’t anymore?

 

Contributed by

Susi Amendola
Stress Management Specialist

What have you done to remind yourself of the things that have meaning for you?

Better Health Begins With You...

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