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Stress is all in how we look at things. Some things commonly induce stress in most people, but what is stressful to one person may be a joy to another. In truth, stress really only exists inside of us and is a “pushing back” response to things we experience that we cannot find peace with. Once stress shows up within us it tends to create more stress as the experiencing of negative thoughts and emotions starts a cyclical escalation of bad feelings generating more bad feelings—and more stress.
Your body’s cells respond to your thoughts and emotions and can only be in one of two modes; “Growth and Healing” mode or “Protection” mode. In “Growth and Healing” mode cells carry on the processes of healthy metabolism. When under attack, cells shift into “Protection” mode trapping and holding toxins, releasing and disposing of them when they shift back. Prolonged stress increases mental and emotional “dis-ease” and can lock your mind and body cells into a perpetual state of flight-or-fight, stopping healthy processes and allowing toxins to build up.
If you don’t know how or are unwilling to release stress, its build-up will generate anxiety, depression, and anger. If allowed to continue, stress eventually precipitates metabolic changes that bring on rapid aging, breakdown of immune, digestive, circulatory, or other body systems, and invite illness.
Here are some common causes of stress:
Mental/Emotional Stressors
- Worry
- Fear and uncertainty
- Rejecting or resisting the flow of Life
- Self-proclaimed victimhood
- Feeling responsible for everyone’s problems
- Negativity and pessimism
- Unmet or unrealistic expectations
- Perfectionism
- Blocked creativity
- Unresolved or buried emotions from situations past or present
Situational Stressors
- Moving to a new home or job
- Divorce/separation
- Illness of a loved one
- Acting as a caretaker
- Financial troubles
- Retirement
- Incarceration (time in jail)
- Repeated criticism or ridicule at home or on the job
- Overwork
- Privation and lack: of food, money, love, joy, connection, etc.
- Pressure to perform
- Loss: of a job, loved one, relationship, pet, etc.
- Past or present abuse
Physical Stressors
- Poor diet/dehydration
- Injury/illness
- Touch starvation (it’s a Human need to be touched)
- Lack of sleep/insomnia
- Prolonged exposure to cold or heat
- Sensory overload: loud noise, flashing lights, physical vibration
- EMF (electromagnetic radiation from electricity and electronics)
- Exposure to toxins and synthetic compounds in air, water, or food
- Energetic pollution in home or work environment from people, underground water, Ley lines, Earthbound Spirits, etc.
At The Mesa Creative Arts Center and Mesa Healing Center, we don’t believe in “managing” stress, only reducing or eliminating it. The first things to do are to take care of yourself on the physical level by getting enough rest, eating foods that are healing instead of toxic, staying hydrated, etc. Observing your thoughts, emotions, reactions, and responses is a good way to determine what is causing you stress and can afford you opportunities to free yourself from it.
Below are some tried and true techniques to defuse and release built-up stress energy and retrain your mind:
- Accept. Learn to embrace change and accept what is. Life IS change. Better to get over it!
- Allow. Be reasonable with the demands you put on yourself and let others help you.
- Avoid. Stay away from negativity from the Media, family, friends, coworkers, etc, until you can be at peace around it.
- Bathe. Get in water. A bath with natural sea salt, soak in the shower, dip in the ocean, or even just washing your hands pulls off pent-up energy and takes away toxins.
- Breathe. Deep, aware breathing blows off energy and relaxes. You can’t worry when you are purposefully following your breath.
- Bodywork. Get a massage, Reiki or other energy healing, Acupuncture treatment, Reflexology session, etc. to release pent up energy from your physical body.
- Celebrate. Find things to be grateful for and express that gratitude.
- Change. Make an effort to do things differently or see with new eyes.
- Connect. Seek out and befriend happy, optimistic people, or turn to God.
- Create. Play music, write poetry, make art, knit, etc. Creating connects you with the flow of Creation to reinvigorate and rebalance you.
- Cry. Crying lets pressure off our emotional system. Let the tears flow.
- Forgive. Forgiveness is really release for the forgiver. Don’t forget to forgive yourself, too.
- Laugh. Maintain a sense of humor, watch funny movies, and have some F-U-N.
- Listen. Put on some music. It can soothe emotions, still your mind, and clear your energy system.
- Meditate. Meditation allows your thinking mind to reset, take some “time off” from negative thoughts, connect you to higher consciousness, and your body to relax.
- Move. Dance, jump up and down, run, or walk away, but get your body in motion. Sometimes changing your location is all it takes.
- Pet. Stroking a cat, watching goldfish, or playing with a dog, are proven ways to reduce stress.
- Play. Let the child in you come out, blow off steam, and have a good time.
- Relax. Take time to just stop. Taking a break can allow you to be more productive in the long run.
- Release. Let go of anger, blame, resentment, jealousy, grudges, etc. Yell at the wall, punch a pillow, or just let held energy dissolve and flow out of you.
- Talk. Seek out counseling from a trained therapist or talk with a trusted friend.
- Visualize. Close your eyes and see yourself somewhere where you feel safe, and relaxed. Use guided imagery tapes or CDs to take you to a pleasant place in your mind.
- Walk. Go out in Nature. Touch your feet to Mother Earth and get some sun, moon, or starlight.
We also recommend de-stressing help from the gentle energy and consciousness of rocks and crystals, seashells, flower essences, gem elixirs, animals, plants, etc.
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