Summer Stress Fake News?
Health & Harmony
By Dr. Nancy Gahles, DC, CCH, RSHom(NA), OIM
Summer Stress
Fake News?
Stress is prolonged tension, continued thoughts that crowd and intrude upon our lives and make us uncomfortable in body, mind and spirit. When unresolved in the moment stress accumulates. Like that pile of laundry. Or the dishes in the sink. We run out to the each to seek the solace of the sun and decide that the laundry can wait. It does wait but when you return home it is waiting there for you to deal with it.
Stress is the same scenario. Even though we are in the so called lazy, hazy days of summer, the accumulation of stressful situations in our life, be it workplace, family or social relationships continues to pile up and weigh heavily on us. Left unattended to , the pile accumulates and becomes overwhelming. That pile appears insurmountable.
“It will never get done”, “Where do I even start?”, “It’s YOUR fault for not helping with the tasks”, “If only I had done it sooner”, “It’s too late, hopeless”.
Domestic squabbles ensue, irritability arises, snapping, screaming, crying, complaining about unrelated issues happens.
Summer solace for stress is, actually, fake news. While the laid back beach attitude does take away some of the pressure, the underlying cause remains.
My prescription for tackling that mountain of accumulated laundry in the mind is to begin a practice of mindfulness. Begin to simply be aware in the present moment and tend to one thought, one feeling at a time. Practice walking meditation. Placing one foot in front of the other, purposefully, creates balance on all levels of body, mind, spirit.
The fruits of “presencing” allow you to identify your issues. What makes you tick? What makes you sick? Where can I change? How can I create priorities that will nourish and sustain me?
I favor using these skills to create a Health Investment Portfolio. In this way, you invest in yourself in the same way that you invest for retirement or for a new house. It’s only common sense. A reframing of what you already know. When the news is born of your own experience, it can never be fake news. You can download a free copy of my e-book on the Health Investment Portfolio as well as hear me talk about it in my TEDTalk by going to my website : http://www.drnancygahles.com
May The Blessings be!