The Dance: Managing Stress with a Little Practice

Nope, it's not the sun.  Nor is it a poor diet or cigarette smoking.  Stress is the number one aging factor in America, as revealed by Dr. Oz, one of Oprah's medical gurus.

This comes as no surprise to me.  As a 20-year veteran in the health promotion field, I have long been aware of the connection between stress and the acceleration of the aging process.  Click here to see a visual that illustrates how the body responds when under stress. Understanding the physiological underpinnings of the stress response is enough to scare anybody into not sweating the small stuff. And here's the thing: When it comes to stress, the body doesn't discriminate.  An insignificant event, such as traffic, elicits the same biophysical response as a major life stressor.  Big or small, all stress throws the body into the "danger" mode to prepare the body to fight or flee.  This is great if you need to run for your life, but if you are just stuck in a traffic jam, the response can be overkill. 

Every time I begin to "stress" over little things, I remember that being in the "danger" mode, without the necessity to fight or flee, can weaken my major organs, dampen my immune system and destroy my ability to repair cells.  The verdict?  It's just not worth it.  Traffic, children, bosses, mysteriously missing keys, a not so tidy house.  As Dr.Oz mentioned on Oprah, it will be the little things we stress about that kill us.   

There is a preponderance of evidence supporting the practice of relaxation techniques to reduce stress.  Deep breathing, yoga, massage, prayer, bubble baths.....  These are all well known tips I have lectured about for years.  But as a health educator turned life coach, it is my unequivocal belief that managing stress is more about "being" than "doing".  What good is it to act like a maniac all day then hustle over to the yoga class?  It is with our being that we interact with the world and the people, places, and things in it.  This is where stress management should start.  Managing stress is sort of like a dance.  When our being is in step with the life we want to create, "stress" is nonexistent.   

Being in step begins with choices.  Choosing to think differently. Choosing for it to be another way.  Choosing to say no.  Choosing not to get angry, impatient, or resentful.  Choosing a life of gratitude, peace, and love.  Amazing things happen when our being lines up with the life we want to create.  It takes some practice to line things up, but just like learning a new dance, it gets easier with time.    

According to a study conducted by the American Psychological Association, only 35 percent of Americans reporting high levels of stress said they would modify their behavior following the diagnosis of a chronic condition.  Only 35 percent.  What's stopping us from making life-giving choices?  It all starts with the dance.

Comments

[Brian Johnson]

I read an interesting blog post this morning from a mother who finally decided to abandon the parts of their family's Christmas traditions that no one else cared to participate in.

For years she's been fighting with her kids to help decorate the tree and to help make cookies (she said she'd usually make 20 dozen or so during the season).

The tree was the first thing to go. She asked the kids this year if the tree was important to them. They said, "no," so they didn't do a tree. She then asked the kids what their favorite cookies are. She's baked chocolate chip cookies twice so far this season. 2 dozen with cooperation sure beats ten times that many when you have to browbeat your kids into helping.

There are many ways to help deal with stress, but simplifying your life (especially during the holidays) is one of the easiest to start doing today.

Thanks for your great article!

-Brian