Now that the holidays are over and we’re getting back into the normal swing of things, let’s remember to stay grounded and resist the temptation to dip into fight or flight mode when everyday challenges arise.
My belief is that many of us sub-consciously put our bodies into fight or flight mode to get the adrenaline boost it provides. The road before us gets bumpy and we start catastrophizing in our heads while breathing shallowly, or worse yet, forgetting to breathe at all!
Fight or flight mode is a huge energy drain and should only be invoked when true danger is present – being late to a meeting or having a disagreement with a loved on is not life threatening and need not be treated as such.
This year can be different. Let’s watch our thoughts when we hit a snag and remember to breathe. You can consciously avert this “stress bath,” as I called it a few blogs back, but it requires mindfulness and a desire not to live on excess cortisol and adrenaline, both of which cause stress related illnesses, weight gain, aging and overall impairment of mental and physical functioning.
As we breathe deeply and remember to think realistically, we will experience more enjoyment and energy in the great year of 2008!