You Can Have Stress – Don’t Let Stress Have You
Stress is inevitable. But its cumulative effects over time are what damage your health. Chronic stress has been linked to a host of issues, including anxiety and depression, weight gain, inflammation, digestive issues, fertility problems, even poor memory. The way to avoid repercussions is by dealing with stress in the moment, as it happens.
Source: Lara Fielding in The 4 Pillars of Health (Stephanie Booth, author)
The idea is to become psychologically flexible—or in other words, to learn to balance your exposure to stress with self-soothing efforts. I often equate this to standing on a surfboard, on top of a bowling ball. You can lean into your uncomfortable emotions, and then discipline yourself to pull out of that discom- fort. Being able to toggle back and forth like that will make you more resilient.
Research shows that it’s not stress itself but our attitudes and beliefs about stress that can make it “toxic.” When you feel powerless, that’s when stress becomes harmful. So it’s really not the amount of stress you have in your life that matters. It’s the way you ride it out.