Letting Go of Stress

Stress is something we do to ourselves. The question is ... "Does it serve us?" And if not, why the heck are we doing this to ourselves?

During our evolutionary beginnings, I think that nature intended stress to be a protective reaction to our environment - the fight or flight response to danger. Our senses would catch wind of something that was potentially dangerous and put us on edge ... ready for the fight or poised for the retreat.

Today, we have developed to the point where stress is not only a reaction to external stimuli but also to our internal head chatter - that little voice that's always rattling on in your mind (at least mine is).

I feel like I have very little stress in my life these days. Quite an accomplishment, since it wasn't all that long ago when I continually felt stressed out.

Certainly, being retired helped - but perhaps in a way you wouldn't have expected.

It's seems silly now, but the first thing you do is replace all your work problems with more personal ones. I tried not to say bigger, more important problems with smaller, less important ones since whatever problems you are facing, well, they always seem big and important to you - don't they? Just ask any troubled teenager and they'll tell you that their sky is falling. (Does that prove my point?)

I believe, that we never really get away from problems. They're just a fact of life. So what retirement did do for me was, it allowed me the time to reflect. I reflected on everything and I concluded that everything is just the way it's supposed to be - perfect.

Now that doesn't mean I don't want things to be different - that would make me superhuman. What it does mean is that, in any given moment, I can accept things for being just the way they are.

So when I'm rushing off and need to be somewhere at a given time and the light turns red putting me behind schedule, that's just the way it is. In that moment, I can't change it, perhaps I wouldn't even want to if I knew what that change would result in. Think about it for a moment. If I ran the red light, maybe I got into a car accident. The possibilities are endless.

Just remember that some stress in your life is a good thing. It gives you the edge you need to do certain tasks. But too much stress affects your immune system and, voila, you get sick.

So, keep the stress in your life working for you by remembering that life, in any single moment, is perfect just the way it is. And if you can't believe that it's perfect, then at least acknowledge that it's not worth stressing over things you have no control over. I guarantee that you will feel less stress.

Trust the universe. It knows the bigger picture.