Stress…
Recognizing it, dealing with it and tackling it.
Not as easy as it sounds. But with a few tweaks here and there, you’ll be ready to embrace a non-stressed Zebra lifestyle (just keep reading and you will understand why).
One of the amazing things about Mother Nature is that it prepared us with all we need, even if we neglect a big chunk of it.
Most of the time we act from a physical and emotional perspective. Rarely we see things from an energetic and expansive point of view (the vibrations we tune into). What I mean is, we keep closing the gap between the our Self and what´s around. What happens is that the ability to expand our perceptions and be aware of what´s surrounding us, decreases significantly. Being part of the “whole picture” vanishes! Stress takes over and we blame it for being responsible for our misfortunes. Tough, the core problem resides in the way we deal with stress! And this is where today´s parallel with our fellow Zebras will help us out.
Here´s how:
Animal life is programmed to live and deal with short term stress. Continuous and long term stress is unbearable and the animal kingdom is free from it. Except us, humans.
Take this as an example, a Zebra is peacefully grazing when it spots a Lioness; its body´s chemicals start to rush into the blood stream giving the animal a brief boost to flee and survive the Lion chase. If the Zebra succeeds, 10 or 15m later it´ll just go back to its meal like nothing ever happened. This is a short term stress example.
Now, can you imagine the same Zebra in stress all day, through an entire week, maybe the whole month, thinking of Lions, dreaming of Lions, being afraid of Lions its entire life? I bet dear Zebra wouldn´t survive a trimester! Its body would collapse due to an intoxicating cocktail of chemicals produced by constant stress.
Now picture your life, your daily routine. After a quick review of the last 3 months of your life, think of every possible stress that you had during that period. It´s ok, we have time. Give it a go! Too many, right?
If your day-to-day stressful events are of the kind “flee or die chases” and in a small amount, that´s ok. You can cope with “running to survive” situations a few times a day. It´s short, quick and it goes away even faster. But if you´re in constant stress, well… I believe you know the impact it has in your health. And yes, it´s pretty bad…
We need a certain amount of stress in our lives, it makes us act, build, feel the creative rush, it impels us to achieve magnificent things. That´s what is called the “good-stress”, a rush of adrenaline that comes in specific moments for a brief period of time. These chemicals released by the body will help you to focus, to produce and then, to continue your day feeling at ease – just like the Zebra.
The “bad-stress” is what ruins your health, leaving you extremely emotional and constantly living beyond the moment, with your mind on past events, making the ability to focus in the present (in the moment) an impossible mission. This has non-desired effects in your family life, professional commitments, and most of all, in your health (and we wanna live long and happy, surrounded by those we love).
Learning how to live in the present is key. In my opinion, stress management is a collateral effect, so I don´t suggest dealing with it directly as it is a symptom and not the cause. If you take care of your core, you´ll be able to manage stress naturally without giving it too much thought.
So here´s today´s advice to shake long term stress away:
– Start your day with gratitude! Be thankful for what you have, your loved ones, your life. It´s amazing how positive and present we become after this simple exercise. If you lack inspiration, remember that being able to walk, to have 5 fingers in your hand or a plate of food to eat are things to be grateful for.
– Create routines, they are an ally. Since the moment you wake up, chose specific time frames in your day to exercise, to organize, to meditate, etc. And stick to it.
– Breathe consciously when you start to feel an undesired emotion, irritation or similar. Through your nose, inhale and exhale deeply for 1m or 2m; if needed, remove yourself from the room you´re in to a more quiet place and do the exercise. When you come back you´ll feel more confident and tension backed off.
– Workout. Whatever it is your thing, do it at least 3 or 4 times a week (or every day if possible). Moving the body is a mind clearer and a great mood booster.
– Eat well. Avoid artificial sugars, saturated fats and you know what else. Increase the amount of fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and some cereals in your daily meals, specially in your breakfast.
– Take care of your sleep. Quality sleeping is invigorating and can change your state of mind the day after (check my tips here).
Will this help to reduce your stress levels throughout the day? YES, you just have to do it and be consistent with the commitment you made with yourself. Test these steps for at least 21 days in a row, then you´ll feel less doubtful.
And let me know how it´s going 😉
Enjoy your day!
Love,
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