M I N D B O D Y I N S T I T U T E
The Art of Blissful LivingTransforming the Stress Response
H O M E
We experience stress at work, at school, and at home. We have more to do with less time to do it in. We are so stressed that we believe we don't have time to deal with our stress. We get accustom to worry, tension, anxiety and we start to think that this is normal; that everyone must feel this way. Don't they????
And... just when we thought we had it ALL handled...
The stock market crashes, our flight gets canceled, the dog gets sick, the babysitters late, our client walks, the bank is closed, our presentation flops, the internet goes down, we lose the contract, the kids are hungry, gas prices soar, our boss wants more, we get sick...and on and on and on.
Are you stressed-out just reading this???? There is a better way!
TIP: How we respond to our stress makes all the difference.
(Unfortunately) The truth is: STRESS IS A FACT OF LIFE.
In September 2007, The American Psychological Association commissioned its annual nationwide survey to examine the state of stress across America. The following is a snapshot of their key findings:
- Stress is a fact of life (agreed 79% of people), but according to the survey responses, Americans routinely experience what they believe are higher than healthy levels of stress. One-third of people in the US regularly report experiencing extreme levels of stress (32%), and nearly one in five (17%) report that they experienced their highest level of stress 15 or more days per month. Even more alarming, nearly half of Americans (48%) believe stress has increased over the past five years.
- The sandwich generation (ages 35-54) is the most stressed.
- Americans report that stress impacts their physical and psychological health.
- Stress affects how often Americans engage in unhealthy behaviors.
- Stress at work affects career decisions and results in lost productivity.
- Women experience more stress than men, report more physical symptoms of stress and are more likely to think they manage their stress poorly.
- Single people report more extreme stress, which negatively impacts their social lives, but stress also takes a toll on marriages and personal relationships.
- People living in the East and West are more likely to manage their stress in less effective ways and report more physical symptoms.
- Young people are experiencing the most negative consequences of stress.
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Those working in the education and health services industries report extreme levels of stress.
Why do we change?
- Desire to feel better - 60%
- Desire to reduce amount of stress in my life - 45%
- Desire to improve self-image or self-esteem - 41%
- Encouragement from my spouse or partner - 38%
- Doctor recommendation - 38%
- Desire to look better - 37%
- Being diagnosed with a chronic condition - 35%
- Understanding how my behavior may increase my chances of developing a chronic condition - 27%
- Encouragement from a child - 18%
- Death of a family member or friend due to chronic condition - 16%
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
Marianne Williamson
