Anxiety and Stress

This is not for sure not a subject that we enjoy talking about or fun but within this life university that we live; sometimes we need to just talk about it. Usually anything self help is what I seek first before becoming so fixed that I have a real problem that I can’t handle. It doesn’t take anyone but a few minutes in the morning to get our blood boiling and our mind running wild after we pick up the morning paper or turn on the news to know part of what stresses us out. These are stressful times and it doesn’t look like it is going to change anytime soon. Not just the news of far away but in our local jobs, cities and where we live, everyday stress is constant it seems. I do not think that anyone is exempt from it of some form; be it work related, family related or on a broader capacity.

How do we cope with stress so that it does not bring about anxiety? In reading about so much good stuff to learn about myself and my own reactions to stress and life, it appears that “balance” is one word we can use to help us before we get to the stage of needing something more than reading an article.

Is there a way to find balance in this society that we live in today? It is said that balance is not a talent but a learned skill; one that must be practiced regularly and mindful of our spiritual essence. In so many words; there are not quick fixes to stress. We must look into the soul to answer these concerns. We as humans look for the quick fix because we need it now. When we have five projects going at work and reports in two weeks, plus the family needs some time together, parents need tending and so on and so on. Is there such a thing as balance with forty different issues pressing and on top of that the worry of what the future holds with our economy and the politician who are in control who seem out of control?

First question for us to ask ourselves is; what can we do something about? How can we change any of the processes? If we can, when do we start and do we realize it takes time and isn’t going to work by tomorrow?

I read a book entitled Stand Like Mountain, Flow like Water by Brian Luke Seaward, PH.D, part of it I should say. I have a habit of buying books, reading some of it and putting it back on the shelf for awhile. At any rate, his description for this title came from one of his students who was taking a t’ai chi course. This was the message: To stand like a mountain suggest a sense of stability, resistant to the winds of changes. To move like water implies the ability to go with the flow. Rather than trying to change things we have no control over. In other words to move like water is to persevere, yield where necessary to gain strength, and move on once again.

I believe if we are to stand like a mountain and flow like water, we must first be secure in many things about “us” and understand who we are first. My thoughts is that we are probably already in our plan of personal growth somewhere. If we are to have strength and security in our own being, we had better be pretty sure that we are somewhere in our personal growth with some wisdom to know what we stand on or for is wise. This is to me a very calming thought though, and I guess that is why I bought the book. Stand like a mountain, flow like water. I don’t always do this; I would like to be able to and that is why I read and write and try to grow personally so that I can move forward without as much uncertainty and suspense in my life.

Anxiety makes us apprehensive, distressed, and concerned about everything and if we are pressed down with anxiety we will not be calm, assured or tranquil enough to find our strength to stand like a mountain in times of the surprises in our life and the unfortunate things that sometimes almost blow us away. The things we have no control over should be, I think put into a box and forgotten as much as possible. The things we do have control over, we must try to find the right way to change those things and know that the world was not made in one day.

I think we have to find what makes us feel less stressed and find a way to intermingle it into our daily functions. Worry has never solved anything that I am aware of and in fact most of the time makes it worse. It is hard to let go of some things, I am a person who wants to “fix it.” Some things take time and if we are dealing with another human, they must be ready for it to be fixed also. It is hard for me to just sit back and wait; but I am learning that patience is better than trying to unscramble something that was stirred too much already.

We probably think we know what stress is or what it is related to and we do but there are some other factors to consider. We have all heard the stress is anxiety, helplessness, impatience, panic, anger, frustration and so forth and you probably have some more explanations of stress. What we all know for sure is that “stress” in any form makes us miserable and especially when it is comes in the form of the unexpected. Why any of us could see that a mother has many things to juggle daily; you know, like get up at five in the morning, get breakfast, get lunches, get kids to school and nursery and get to work by eight or nine…be prepared for two special meeting at work, meet a client for lunch, teach a class in the afternoon, gets a call from school, one kid is sick…it could go on and on….

We know that the word itself means accentuate, emphasis, afflict, force, tense, urgency, importance, fear, flutter, hardship, agony, alarm, oppression, affliction and I could go on and on.

The experts agree that stress is a perception--------real or imagined--------that is interpreted as a threat. If the threat is not resolved, then the effects will produce wear and tear on the body-----either in a specific organ or body region. In other words what they say is that what begins in the mind as a perception often ends up as a symptom of disease or illness if it is left without resolving. It indicates that the body becomes the destination of what the games of the mind proclaim. We have all seen the latter happen at some point. If we worry about something too long, it can give us ulcers of the stomach or on the lip or in the mouth.

With so many topics about anxiety and stress we can stop here today and focus on some quotes to get out adrenaline flowing more slowly until next time.

Drag your thoughts away from your troubles...by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage.  ---Mark Twain

If things go wrong, don't go with them.  ....Roger Babson

Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen.  Keep in the sunlight.--Benjamin Franklin

For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe....Author Unknown

If you treat every situation as a life and death matter, you'll die a lot of times.  ..Dean Smith