chapter 2 - Stress is not a feeling, it’s an indicator

Welcome back to this audio journey and our podcast portal.

In this episode, I will explore stress. I define what stress is and is not by unpacking the overused phrase, “I am feeling stressed out…” 

I also discuss when stress becomes a problem and the behaviours or buffers we typically engage with to avoid stress. I share the story of some unhelpful buffers that I used to resist my stress as a classroom teacher, raising teenagers, and trying to do too many things. 

Finally, I discuss how we begin to work with stress and use it as an indicator of needed attention and action in our daily lives.

The World Health Organization has announced that stress is the health epidemic of the 21st century. It is linked to all kinds of problems, including anxiety, weight gain, sleep problems, lack of motivation, chronic pain, stomach issues, and depression. Stress is also detrimental to your immune system because when you're stressed, your immune system's ability is reduced, and you are more susceptible to infections. For all of these reasons and more, it is worth our time to get to know our brand of stress and see how it expresses itself in our lives so that it does not compromise our health and well-being.

I invite you to grab your mug of tea and enjoy.