How To Reduce Stress In The Real World
Susan Living
October 24, 2009
Mental health is huge in the media at the moment. Campaigns abound to raise our awareness and famous people speak often about stress, depression and anxiety and the devastating effects they´ve had on their personal, work and family life. In fact, one recent article reported that almost 50% of Australians are have or have had some form of mental illness. http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24543392-5006301,00.html
Why, as the experts agree, are 75% of us stressed out? Why are our lives so busy and what are we getting out of it? How can we live with this build up of pressure inside us without exploding? How do we find the balance between achieving our goals and relaxing into the present moment? Very big questions.
Obviously, mental health doesn´t just happen. We need to work on it. Daily. This may sound like a big ask but the alternative is rather unpleasant.
As more of us become aware of our high stress level and how it can negatively impact our health and relationships, more of us look for answers. One option is to turn to the experts, say we´re unhappy and be prescribed powerful mind-altering medication that may or may not address the symptoms and ignores the cause. We may be given a diagnosis and be told we have "social anxiety disorder" or "post-natal depression". We may see a therapist long-term who listens, we may speak about our childhood and analyse our feelings and thoughts. The medical model is designed to focus minutely on what is wrong - a specific neurotransmitter, a particular behaviour, a diagnosis or a series of events that occurred when we were young. A journey down this easily accessible path has certainly saved many lives but has also enabled many to remain stuck with no immediate relief from their negative feelings.
Another option we may be attracted to is the path of healing, of spirituality, of preventative medicine, crystals, channeled entities, re-birthing and reincarnation. Veganism, magic, mantras and seventh dimensions require us to be open with a child-like curiosity about the world and the way energy works. This path focuses on what´s right - on the perfection of what is happening inside the individual. The only problem is, rainbows and dolphins aren´t taken too seriously by mainstream thought in mental health and medicine.
So, what´s another option? Perhaps ultimately the only one that counts. The one that each individual chooses for himself or herself regardless of gender, background, culture, religion, education and life experience. A path that isn´t exclusive, that demands no bias or preconceived ideas or knowledge of anything in particular. A path that welcomes 55 year old CEOs who drive BMWs, the dread locked, vegetarian hippie from Byron and the person just living their life, doing what they do; sleeping, eating, drinking, working, laughing, crying, playing and dying.
All that this path requires is the development of a personal philosophy that can be practiced amidst the chaos of our daily lives. A philosophy that fits our unique view of the world and gives us something to hold on to when we need it most; at times when we are really stressed, have an intensely worried mind or are feeling blue and unable to connect with anyone or anything around us.
A philosophy I´ve carefully cultivated is "Anything that ever happens to me is for the best." This belief has seen me through chronic anxiety, eating disorders, relationship breakdowns, addiction, debt, financial failure and more. With consistent practice and time, I´ve developed a positive view of life, a way to feel better about where I am right now, to embrace change and to accept conflict and loss.
Your own personal philosophy exists outside the medical model, religion and self-development practice. It exists solely in you and you take it with you wherever you go and whatever you are doing. There´s so much more, but this is where we begin with stress reduction for the real world. What is your personal philosophy? How has is it served you? Is it time to create a new one?
Why, as the experts agree, are 75% of us stressed out? Why are our lives so busy and what are we getting out of it? How can we live with this build up of pressure inside us without exploding? How do we find the balance between achieving our goals and relaxing into the present moment? Very big questions.
Obviously, mental health doesn´t just happen. We need to work on it. Daily. This may sound like a big ask but the alternative is rather unpleasant.
As more of us become aware of our high stress level and how it can negatively impact our health and relationships, more of us look for answers. One option is to turn to the experts, say we´re unhappy and be prescribed powerful mind-altering medication that may or may not address the symptoms and ignores the cause. We may be given a diagnosis and be told we have "social anxiety disorder" or "post-natal depression". We may see a therapist long-term who listens, we may speak about our childhood and analyse our feelings and thoughts. The medical model is designed to focus minutely on what is wrong - a specific neurotransmitter, a particular behaviour, a diagnosis or a series of events that occurred when we were young. A journey down this easily accessible path has certainly saved many lives but has also enabled many to remain stuck with no immediate relief from their negative feelings.
Another option we may be attracted to is the path of healing, of spirituality, of preventative medicine, crystals, channeled entities, re-birthing and reincarnation. Veganism, magic, mantras and seventh dimensions require us to be open with a child-like curiosity about the world and the way energy works. This path focuses on what´s right - on the perfection of what is happening inside the individual. The only problem is, rainbows and dolphins aren´t taken too seriously by mainstream thought in mental health and medicine.
So, what´s another option? Perhaps ultimately the only one that counts. The one that each individual chooses for himself or herself regardless of gender, background, culture, religion, education and life experience. A path that isn´t exclusive, that demands no bias or preconceived ideas or knowledge of anything in particular. A path that welcomes 55 year old CEOs who drive BMWs, the dread locked, vegetarian hippie from Byron and the person just living their life, doing what they do; sleeping, eating, drinking, working, laughing, crying, playing and dying.
All that this path requires is the development of a personal philosophy that can be practiced amidst the chaos of our daily lives. A philosophy that fits our unique view of the world and gives us something to hold on to when we need it most; at times when we are really stressed, have an intensely worried mind or are feeling blue and unable to connect with anyone or anything around us.
A philosophy I´ve carefully cultivated is "Anything that ever happens to me is for the best." This belief has seen me through chronic anxiety, eating disorders, relationship breakdowns, addiction, debt, financial failure and more. With consistent practice and time, I´ve developed a positive view of life, a way to feel better about where I am right now, to embrace change and to accept conflict and loss.
Your own personal philosophy exists outside the medical model, religion and self-development practice. It exists solely in you and you take it with you wherever you go and whatever you are doing. There´s so much more, but this is where we begin with stress reduction for the real world. What is your personal philosophy? How has is it served you? Is it time to create a new one?
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