How many emails are in your inbox talking about how to get through stressful times? Facebook…Instagram…Twitter. This is the time of year when everyone is talking about stress and how to avoid it.
Holiday stress, health stress, financial stress, political stress, relationship stress, work-related stress, family stress, physical stress, mental stress….AAARGGGH!
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get stressed just from reading about it.
The question we often ask ourselves is “what am I stressed about?” or if we are venting with a friend or colleague, they may ask us “what is stressing you out?”
And then we go into the same old story of all the things that aren’t going in the direction we want. Or talk about how other people are pissing us off.
These are good questions to ask of course, because it helps us to identify why we might be overwhelmed, anxious, frustrated, etc. AND it can be good to talk about it with someone who cares!
BUT, here is the TRUTH. We will not be without stress. EVER (well perhaps when we are on vacation…on the beach, walking in nature, unplugged from the world).
Even when things are going well in our lives, we might be feeling “good stress”. Any way you look at it, there will be stress throughout life…for most of us even daily.
HERE’S THE THING: Stress isn’t the issue for any of us….IT IS HOW WE CHOOSE TO RESPOND TO IT that is the determining factor of how we will feel.
Let me say that again:
Stress isn’t the issue for any of us…IT IS HOW WE CHOOSE TO RESPOND TO STRESS THAT IS THE DETERMINING FACTOR OF HOW WE WILL FEEL.
How do you respond to the fact there are bills to be paid?
How do you respond to the holiday season?
How do you respond to that one person that pushes all your buttons?
How do you respond to what you see on the news or in your newsfeed on Facebook?
You ALWAYS have a choice. What do you choose?
Honestly, none of us would CHOOSE to feel stressed out, scared, angry, enraged, frustrated, etc.
SOMETIMES it FEELS like we don’t have a choice because we have been TRIGGERED and we are REACTING.
We are RE-ACTING to something that was upsetting in the past and we feel like we are right there, whether we realize it or not.
You may not always know what has happened in the past to trigger you today, but you mostly likely are aware that you ARE triggered in some way.
It’s the anger or the sadness or the fear or the resentment you are feeling in the moment.
Here is a quick tapping round that you can use when you are feeling triggered by something:
Tapping to release stress:
You have a choice as to how you respond. It’s one of the only choices you have since you cannot change others or often the circumstances around you.
Here is where tapping comes in :)
Be sure to tap when you feel triggered. When you have that sudden urge to cry. Or you have a lump in your throat…or you suddenly feel anxious. Whatever the feeling is for you when you are triggered
What do you choose?
What is your response going to be?
This tapping round can help you to create a space in your mind and your heart for other options. You don’t have to allow it to ruin your day or your holiday or your family dinner.
So again, I ask you, what do you choose?
I choose peace, love, understanding, forgiveness and compassion (first for myself and then for others around me).
It’s not always easy, I know, but your health and overall wellness might depend on it!
Choose Love!
Keep Tapping,
Julie