chances are, you've experienced stress in your life. (i know i have!) whether it's work-related, home-related, or otherwise, stress plagues everybody from time to time. and a little stress here and there is no biggie, but if your stress is persistent, keeps you from being productive, and seeps into your downtime, it's time for a change. for me, rushing and stress go hand in hand. when i'm stressed, i rush. and when i rush, i'm stressed. and thus, the stress-cycle is perpetuated. but i recently read something in yoga journal that got me thinking -- "am i rushing because i'm under stress, or am i under stress because i'm rushing?" hmmmm.....
stress, oftentimes, feels like it's out of our control -- it's "put upon us" by our bosses, our spouses, our families -- but, the rushing (or the sense of needing to rush), i can get a handle on.
if in those moments when i can feel stress compounding and the urgency to rush sets in, if i instead, stop, take a deep breath (or two), and slow down, the stress and rushing subsides. instead of tackling the stress (mental), tackle the rushing (physical) -- and you will notice that your mind and mental state respond to your bodies actions. if you act calm, you'll become calm -- simple as that!
the next time you're feeling stressed and rushing around -- SLOW DOWN and breathe. and just notice if you feel better -- i bet you will!
namaste, cailen
