STRESS

A conversation that I had today brought about this topic because I believe most individuals could benefit from a discussion.

STRESS.

Yeah, yeah. We all know how important this is. Seems like a word that is overused, right?

In my experience as a chiropractor and health care provider (also: mother, business owner, part time educator), stress is something I also knew that I had. I’m a driven, hard-headed female. Yeah, stress is part of me and that’s just the way it is and I need to accept that.

I believed that for years.

Until this year. (Okay, maybe the end of 2020.)

Here’s the deal: your PHYSICAL response to stress is very different than your MENTAL response to stress. And your physical response to stress has a lower threshold .

Those headaches when you get overwhelmed? Physical. More fatigue without reason? Physical. Soreness throughout your joints without a cause? PHYSICAL.

These are the whispers that your body is informing you your stress levels are elevating. When we ignore these whispers, they turn into migraines or can’t get out of bed fatigue or injuries during a workout.

When we keep ignoring because “we can handle it,” consistent cluster migraines can occur. Or pain with walking instead of just the workout. Or fatigue that even coffee can’t change.

So, what should we do and how can we stop this? WE have to train ourselves to LISTEN to our bodies. They are telling you important details and we CHOOSE to blatantly ignore these. Simply because “we don’t have time.”

When you start to notice your physical symptoms (different for each person obviously), PAY ATTENTION. Reduce your load or “things that have to be done.” Try decreasing the intensity in your workout to just focus on movement and not 1,000 burpees until you want to vomit. Try choosing a walk or meditation on your lunch break instead of forcing 3 errands in 30 minutes. Lighten your load. Maybe the laundry doesn’t have to be folded that evening and you can CHOOSE a bubble bath instead. Perhaps you ask your spouse to make supper to lighten your load.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple and remove the first thing that comes to mind that is stressing you out.

Your physical response to stress is the first warning sign. LISTEN to it. FEEL it. ACKNOWLEDGE it. ACCEPT it. And then pay attention to how you feel the next day. Do you have more energy? How about clarity? Calmness? More patience?

I promise you’ll be surprised and you’ll notice how quickly you can address the issue.

THEN, you’ll be able to “handle it.” Because you did.