We all know by now I guess (hopefully you do) how damaging stress it to both your brain and you body. There is no worse "disease trigger" actually, well, except aging of course. It breaks your neurons down and shut don your immune and internal organ system and it has your cells age faster and even kill them. You can read more about that here.
For about 9 years now I've been allergic to stress. One day, I decided, I can not do this anymore. «This tears my body down too much in such a young age, how will this affect me in the long run? With this lifestyle I wont survive until I'm 100 (or longer which is my wish).» I just couldn't accept that kind of future and I couldn't bare with the present state of mind and physical body. I was so stressed out that I simply couldn't cope with life. I was completely handicapped. So I decided, stress is way too dangerous to keep carrying in my body and it will destroy me if I do. Most likely get me killed. And, I, I wont let it.
And from that day on, I took control. I became the captain of my mind, the editor or author if you wish(to give a visual image). I claimed full control and the CEO position of my mind, really. Of course it took sometime to change and develop new habits and thinking patterns to stop avoiding my body creating that poison and pumping it out through my veins. But in a few months I managed and it haven't entered since. If I can feel tendencies to it, something in my environment or mind is on the wrong track and I study everything in detail to figure it out. Most times it's an obvious cause, so I kinda know quite easily what it might be because both my gut and intuition has a good overview at this point. What I do then is the following, I take action to have it go away as quickly as possible and start questioning myself and observe my daily habits, body language, eating pattern. Am I exercising enough? Am I eating too much sugary foods? Is it work? Or a situation at work? Or is it personal? A new friend? Or lover? Sleeping enough? Have I've been seeing grateful and inspiring people lately? Had any meaningful conversations or have I been mostly alone the past days and weeks? What is really on my mind? I'm studying every thought passing by, if there is some negativity in there that causes it, its time to switch that up with a positive one. Whats the gift in this negative though or the cause of the negative thought? Whats the instructions it gives me? Why is it there in the first place? Whats the opposite thought of this, what really is the positive in this thing? You can always, always find a reason of why this thought or event is a gift. I assure you. And mostly it is the guidance towards a better you who is the answer, but you'll always find what it concerns if you just give it some thoughts. But, I mean, nervousness before you enter a stage to do some public speaking, or do a presentation, or before a date or such things to me that is not considered stress. Thats just actually a healthy adrenaline shot that makes you more alert and focused, really. Or, at sometimes it can also blank you out, like it did with me the other day when I had the presentation on stage in front of 250. Haha. So, nervousness is just good, it doesn't last for too long either. Of course, if you're constantly trembling of nervousness thats not too beneficial for the neither the brain nor the body.
So, No entry in this body, stress. Has always been my policy. Until lately. Ive been thinking is all kinds of stress really bad? It's been a question in the back of my mind for a few weeks now. But haven't given it much thought really, hasn't even occured to me to google it. But, all of a sudden, I click play on the most recent podcast episode by Shawn Stevenson at the Model Health show, and guess what. Here's the title to have you understand:
Stress Activated Foods, Intermittent Fasting, & The Principles Of Stress - With Ori Hofmekler
Wtf, right there, on a silverspoon delivered straight into my mouth I got some answers to the question. Thanks universe!
"Stress can be ruthless. It’s a silent assassin that can break down your brain, screw up your internal organs, and pack fat onto your body. But… That’s only one face of stress. Stress can also be invigorating. It’s capable of making you more physically fit, biologically stronger, and literally keep your brain decades younger. So, how in the world can it be so good, yet so treacherous at the same time? Today we’re going to dissect the value of stress to maximize the benefits, and minimize the potential downfalls."
So it got me thinking, have I been missing out on something? Hm.. The right kind of stress is magically enough beneficial. I wish it was called something else though as I see stress as a relativily negative word. Excitement. Yeah, thats better. Not healthy stress but excitement. I am and always shall be excited to be alive.
What do you think about the concept of healthy stress? Is it really beneficial? Would you name it something else?
**Note; I might at some point write an in depth analytical post about this topic do not know when though so do not keep your expectations for that on default. **