We all know that the only permanent thing in this world is change.  However, with the way things are going in this world, there is one more thing that is permanent apart from change — that is STRESS.

We all go through stress.  In traffic, in the workplace and even in our respective homes, stress is always there.  This six letter word is so powerful it can break relationships, cause health issues and sometimes, even death.

How do we define stress?  It is an emotional or physical reaction to a demanding circumstance.  Sometimes we are unaware that we are under stress until its effects are manifested in our actions or words.

If happiness is a choice, so is stress.  How we handle circumstances in our lives is a reflection on how we look at stress.  Through the years, there have been so many things that I have wanted to happen that did not materialize.  Boy, did it bring me too much stress. My eagerness to make things happen in the way I want to, did not just cause me stress but frustration.  The feeling was heavy. It seems like I am carrying a burden that was not really present.

One thing that helped me move on was the day I made a firm decision to change my mindset and look at stress from a different angle.  Whenever I am faced with a very demanding circumstance, first thing I look for is the wisdom on why I am in that situation. Do not face the issue head on.  Seek the wisdom behind the matter. Understand why it happened and why it had to happen. Eventually, you will reach a realization and you will be able to make better judgement and handle things in a manner that is less stressful.  Definitely, it is easier said than done. However, you can work on it. You just need to make a conscious decision to live to be stress free and not stressful.

Do not miss out on the beauty this life has to offer over traffic jam or an irate customer or a pile of office papers.  Life is too beautiful to be wasted on these things. Live your life to the fullest because you owe it to your husband, your children, your family and to yourself.

“It’s not stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it.”  — Hans Selye