Eliminate Stress and Begin Enjoying Life

When you perceive that the difficulty of a situation exceeds your capabilities, then your body goes through a reaction called stress. While in some cases stress may excite and even motivate you to do your best, it can also become a negative factor and challenge your ability to be healthy, happy, and successful in life.

In the definition that I just gave you I started off by using the word "perceive." This means that what is causing your stress – and how you react to it – may not be the result of a reality. In fact, how your brain perceives things is often a result of how your mind was shaped during the formative years in life.

Not everyone shares your reactions to the same events. For instance, some people may see a situation as overwhelming and feel a sense of hopelessness. Others will look at the same set of circumstances and get excited as they see challenges that will display their strengths. I remember seeing a full page cartoon in a magazine many years ago. In it several cavalry soldiers were surrounded by numerous hostile attackers. The caption said, "Well I think we are in a target rich environment." Indeed, this is a healthier reaction to one that otherwise could be a cause of despair.

How you perceive events in your life is both a matter of prior mental programming and your ability to make the right choices in life. Once you realize the latter, you develop the ability to shape your future rather than having it dictated by others.

Nevertheless, there will be times when we will experience immediate or accumulative stress, which will tend to cause feelings of being less than your best. That's okay if it happens to you as it does to all of us eventually. During those times, it is important for you to have a set of practices, which will allow you to intentionally calm your mind and body. Again, remember that your reaction to the events in your life is still a matter of choice. When you are experiencing mental and physical stress you can choose to change how you react. Yes, it is a matter of choice.