Author: ajmajor866@gmail.com

We can spend a lifetime dealing with the effects of stress in our lives, and trying to limit the damage. Modern lifestyles can have a habit of repeatedly putting stressful situations in our way; ironically though, we can sometimes be responsible for our own undoing, regardless of lifestyle and environment. As Mark Twain is famously quoted as saying:

I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.

Anxiety and worry, feelings of powerlessness; these are all classic symptoms of chronic stress, and can wreak lasting havoc on health, both mind and body. It’s enough to make you think that we should all run off to live in solitude by the sea or in the mountains (pick your peaceful place and insert here).

But all that changed when I came across Kelly McGonigal’s incredible TED talk ‘How to make stress your friend’. In a brilliantly bold move, Kelly explains how we can reframe our perception of stress as the body’s preparation for the challenge; naturally raising our energy levels and boosting our feeling of courage.

If you haven’t seen it already, I would strongly recommend watching on the link above. It explains how the stress reaction is not only natural, but also helpful if we embrace it; I think that what becomes harmful to us is the anxiety that can take over if we let it, by focusing on all of the potential negative outcomes. And most often, if we try to walk away from a difficult situation, it just has a habit of following us anyway.

Interestingly, Kelly’s twin sister Jane is a game developer who, in the midst of adversity created the amazing ‘SuperBetter’ app. Her TED talk ‘The game that can give you 10 extra years of life’ is also a must-watch; an absolute game-changer.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the sea, and the mountains, and the countryside. I would strongly advocate spending as much time as possible as close to nature as circumstances allow.

But from now on, when there are difficult situations to face, perhaps we can try to let the body use it’s stress reaction in the way it was probably always intended to work; by facing up to the situation with courage and confidence, and not living the life ‘full of troubles that never happened’.

By all means, go for a walk barefoot by the sea afterwards to celebrate the victory; I’ll see you there…