Stress is annoying. It’s this crazy automatic human ancestral thing that messes with our minds and bodies. Something happens and suddenly your body reacts as if it is under attack, fight or flight. We don’t have the same dangers as when we were hunting or gathering, but our physiology assumes…
You’ve got to put on your detective hat to discover your stress symptoms because they could be virtually anything. The way your body expresses stress will be as unique as you are. Basically, anything out of the ordinary could be linked to stress. If you are under stress and suspect…
Stress is misunderstood. The definition of stress is completely, absolutely, one hundred percent different than what you probably think it is. Our vernacular leads us to say that something “stresses us out.” Stress is thought of as an external force that puts pressure on us. When I first learned that…
I hate to admit it, but my house is tethered to my stress level. I feel calmer and better able to relax when things are tidy. The paradox is twofold. First-fold: I can’t be upright cleaning for more than three or four hours before my back goes out. Second-fold I…
I live with two tiny, fuzzy yodas. With simple action and minimal communication, they offer profound lessons on stress management. Watch them for a day, just one, and you will know everything you need to about how to move through stress. Abbey We got Abbey, nickname Abbs or big girl,…
Years ago, when I was first introduced to positive thinking, the philosophy was that anything in life could be controlled with a thought. Perfect health, wealth, romance, all of it was just one thought away. This is a very sexy notion. It made the rough stuff in life seem easier…
When I was young and had to go to the doctor or dentist, my mom and I would always go out to eat afterward. Usually to somewhere like The Souplantation (a soup/salad bar) which to a child is a smorgasbord of deliciousness. My young mind began to associate the idea…
Self care is essential to keeping stress in check. Most of what you hear is around meditating, healthy diet, exercising and other boring stuff. Don’t get me wrong. That stuff is valuable, it is just, well, sometimes, boring. What I think is hands-down most important about self care is that…
I loved living in Portland, Oregon. Phillip and I spent 4 years there, and each time we visit it feels like home. Here’s a picture of the view from the back of our house. I would sit for hours and stare out at that yard. When we knew that we…