Comparedto today’s multitasking, time-challenged, cyber-stressed baby boomers, cavepeople led relatively stress-free lifestyles. Between family and financialdemands, working overtime, rapidly changing technologies, time compression,corporate downsizing, and caregiving for older relatives, people in midlife arestruggling with more stressors than previous generations have ever experienced.



Lifeis stressful. Eliminating stress entirely is not an option.

Stresscan and does happen even when you have your life in order. Stress can recede inone area and increase in another. Just as you get your finances in order, yourrelationship goes sour. Get your relationship together and a family memberbecomes ill.

This is life.

Andrew Weil, MD, in Healthy Agingsays, “the goal of managing stress is to change your reaction to stress."Stress is simply your body’s way of reacting to your mind’s messages. Whatmessages do you tell yourself all day long? Most of us spend our day thinkingof negative, stressful events that are in the past or events that may happen inthe future.

Echart Tolley, author of The NewEarth says, “Most stress comes from the resistance of not acceptingwhat is and not taking action to make a change in the situation."

The first step is to get clear about the issue and thentake actionon the problem or situation that creates your stress. In addition, it iscritical to learn new ways to manage your perception of stress. How we react tocrisis or disturbing events is mainly a matter of old habits and beliefs.

We need to become aware of how we respond to stress and the thoughts we arethinking, and then consciously move out of those negative thoughts by bringingour mind back into the present moment. If you practice this “being in themoment" technique along with other relaxation techniques, you can reduceyour stress significantly.

Do you ever really get relaxed?

Whatever stress you have to deal with, you can learn to activate therelaxation response. You can do this in many ways, some of which are: byworking with your breath, practicing yoga, meditating, floating in water,walking in nature, and playing with animals. When I develop a client’s wellnessassessment, I always ask: What is the major source of stress in your life? Whatdo you do to relax? Have you ever had any relaxation training?

The answer to the last question is usually “no." Many people tell me theyhave a drink, watch television, go on vacation and/or exercise. Some of theseactivities may or may not be relaxing, and most of them do not elicit the relaxationresponse.

To experience the healing benefits of deep relaxation or the relaxationresponse, the mind needs to be focused through meditation or on otherrepetitive mental activities that help the body respond with a dramaticdecrease in heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure and metabolic rate. Ourbody responds in the opposite way of the flight or fight response. We do havethe amazing ability built into our cells to heal and rejuvenate our bodies ifwe just slow down and relax.

Take an inventory of your life in order to identifythe ways that you can activate and cultivate deep relaxation.Remember, to benefit from relaxation this needs to be done regularly andconsciously. The next time your have a stressful event notice if you have beenable to change your perception of the stressful situation. This lifechange practice takes awareness and practice. Keep at it!