Everyone seems to have a view on stress, it has become so popular. Are you stressed or does it not effect you at all? Do you believe that managing stress is important, or do you think that it is a ‘buzz’ word, used as a convenient excuse? Are you living outside your comfort zone? What is stress any way?
Basically stress is caused by our need to adapt to change. The change can be positive or negative. If we feel uncomfortable about any new situation, or challenge, then we begin to experience stress. It is not the circumstances themselves, but our attitude to them, which causes the symptoms. As soon as we are in a situation that we feel is potentially threatening then our ‘fight or flight’ response switches on. Our breathing rate and heart rate increases, muscles tense up, blood pressure rises and adrenaline and cortisol are released into the blood stream.
In other words we are on full alert. This is a natural reaction that has been with us since primitive times to get us out of danger. The difference is that after the danger was over, primitive man would go back to his hut, sit in front of his fire and switch off again. Then all his...