Invest In YOURSELF: Let's Talk About Stress

“Your mindset matters. It affects everything – from the business and investment decisions you make, to the way you raise your children, to your stress levels and overall well-being.” – Peter Diamandis

(This is Chapter One from my book Inner Peace and Serenity: A Spiritual Journey)

Let's Talk About STRESS!

Yes, We Have To!!

STRESS is not a “fun” topic to talk about for sure, however, to bring home how important it is to have inner peace and serenity we must delve into what happens when we do not have it.

You eat a balanced diet, try to get eight hours of quality sleep every night, and exercise at least three times per week. Yet, these three things can only do so much when you are also experiencing a significant amount of stress in your life. We have all been going through a great deal of stress in the past few months.? Living can be stressful in the best of times.

Though you might notice your heart beating a little faster and your stomach churning uncomfortably when you are experiencing stress, there is a lot more that is going on in your body and mind that you might not realize are physical and mental manifestations of your stress.

??????????????? “It's not stress that kills us; it is our reaction to it.”....

Unknown

In this chapter, I will go over some of the basics about what stress is and how it can impact you physically, mentally, and spiritually. This will help us to understand why inner peace and serenity are so important.? Just hang out with me and we will get through this.? I PROMISE!!!

?An Overview of Stress

According to The American Institute of Stress:

·??????? 33% of people report extreme stress

·??????? 77% of people report stress which is affecting their physical health

·??????? 73% of people report stress that hurts their mental health.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, stress has the potential to impact anybody, though not everybody experiences stress in the same way. In short, stress is your body’s natural response to a specific stimulus or event that you experience.? ??????

But not all stress is bad stress. Here is a brief look at the two major types of stress.

1.???? Eustress. This is what is known as “positive stress.” Though eustress can still be a bit overwhelming and mentally taxing, it motivates you rather than hinders you. You might experience eustress on the morning of your wedding or before a big test that you studied for. ?

2.???? Distress. This is what people usually talk about when they mention stress. This stress is physically, mentally, and emotionally overwhelming in a negative fashion, meaning it tends to drain you. You might experience distress when you lose your job, or a family member gets ill.

Chronic Stress

When you are experiencing stress, your body produces greater amounts of adrenaline and cortisol, which are considered stress hormones. This is exactly what puts your body in that fight-or-flight mode. We are all fighting to SURVIVE!!

But, when the stress sticks around for longer than usual, known as chronic stress, you are always in this fight-or-flight mode. This is the worst type of stress that can have long-term repercussions on your health and well-being. You are in a state of hypervigilance where you are constantly fearful and anticipating an approaching danger.

Whether your stress lasts for two minutes or two weeks, the functioning of your body and mind will be altered only in the short term, reverting to normal once the stress dissipates.

Once you begin to experience stress quite regularly, you are putting yourself at greater risk of developing some long-term health consequences.

What Chronic Stress Does to the Body

According to the American Psychological Association, stress has the potential to impact the functioning of every single organ and organ system within your body.

The more stress builds up, the less optimally your body will function.

When your body is flooded with cortisol and adrenaline, most of your organs and organ systems enter a state of “overdrive.” When this occurs, they are extremely overworked and pushed to their limits, which is exactly why you are experiencing physical manifestations.

Here is a brief look at how stress impacts the physical body.

1.???? Muscle and joint tension and/or pain

2.???? Hyperventilation (breathing too quickly)

3.???? Increased heart rate and blood pressure

4.???? Reduced immunity to illnesses

5.???? Gastrointestinal issues (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, weight loss) Yet the effects do not just stop there. With continued stress, your body is much more susceptible to developing conditions like heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. There is also plenty of evidence that shows that stress can cut years from your lifespan.

What Chronic Stress Does To Mind and Spirit

When the cortisol and adrenaline levels in your body are through the roof, the ability of your mind to function as normal becomes impacted as well.

Brain functioning will reach an all-time low with repeated bouts of stress.

That is likely because cortisol and adrenaline override the normal hormones and neurotransmitters released within the brain.

Plus, the levels of serotonin and dopamine will drop, which can lead to the development of mental health conditions.

Here are some examples of how stress can impact your mind and spirit.

1.???? Reduced memory

2.???? Less brain activation

3.???? Fewer active brain cells

4.???? Physical changes to the brain’s structure

5.???? Increased risk of developing mental illness (anxiety, depression, etc.)

6.???? Loss of focus and concentration

7.???? Loss of enjoyment in things you love

8.???? Bad mood

9.???? Lashing out

10. Misery and unhappiness

When stress overpowers your entire life, the most significant impact will be on your MIND. Left untreated, you are much more likely to develop mental health conditions like anxiety or depression or neurodegenerative disorders like dementia.

The Relaxation State vs. The Stress State

No matter what is going on in your life, you are in one of two states: Relaxation or Stress.

The goal Is to find a BALANCE!!

Based on what we have already gone over and some firsthand experiences that you might have, you can figure out what the major differences are between the two.

?

Relaxation State

Let us use the “relaxation state” as a sort of baseline for your mood and physical abilities.

When you are in this state, you are calm and your body is functioning normally as it should, as you are not experiencing any sort of stress.

Your heart rate is anywhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute.

Your blood pressure is as close to 120/80 as it could be.

Your digestive system is working normally. There is an exceedingly small chance that you are experiencing any sort of unexplained pain or discomfort in your muscles and joints.

In terms of your mental state, you are noticeably calm and approachable to the outside world. You are much more easygoing, engaging in social interactions and conversations, without a care in the world.

When it is time to go to bed, you can fall asleep easily without rolling around, continuously looking for the right position, or trying to rid your mind of any lingering anxiety or stress.

In short, you feel completely healthy and even as if you are at the top of the world.

Does this sound heavenly or what??!!!

Stress State

The stress state is out of the ordinary for both your body and your mind.

When you are stressed, your entire being is in a state of “high alert” and hyperarousal, where you are on edge and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Your heart rate is well above what it normally is (over 100 beats per minute).

Your blood pressure is off the charts, and the pain in your stomach is almost unbearable.

Your muscles and joints are aching and in pain, but you cannot figure out a logical reason for it.

You are stressed out, nervous, and anxious and everybody around you seems to notice. You are much more likely to “snap” at others for innocently attempting to converse with you and you have no tolerance for anything less than perfection.

The anxiety and stress torment you during the day, but they also follow you to the bedroom. You spend the entire night trying to calm your mind and do anything to even get an hour or two of quality sleep.

This state is no fun!! It is hell!!? Can I get a witness??!!

Okay, okay... Enough about STRESS!!? Before I stress you out!!

My Final Thoughts on What STRESS Is (I Promise!!)

Now do you get the picture of why INNER PEACE and SERENITY are so important??!!

Remember, in moderation, stress can encourage you to make progress toward your goals when it is in the form of EUSTRESS.

However, DISTRESS is what you are experiencing more daily and what is causing you so much trouble. We are in troubling times!!

With long-term exposure to a stressful environment and triggers, you are putting yourself at risk for damaging your body, mind, and even your spirit.

Though not all stress is avoidable, the best thing you can do is identify your triggers, avoid them if possible, and develop healthy coping strategies that work best.

This is the journey that you and I are on.? Find what coping strategies and practices work best for YOU!!

It Starts With YOU!

#ABetterMeABetterYou

#Freedom2LiveLLC

I Am Jeanne Muhammad, You Global Happiness Expert

https://www.IAmJeanneM.com

Purchase Inner Peace and Serenity: A Spiritual Journey @ https://www.IAmJeanneM.com My Books

?