Stress serves us in many different ways. It helps us meet deadlines, energises, and motivates us; we work harder, faster, and longer. Many successes build on this kind of work ethic, but there’s a line, one that crosses into burnout if we sustain this kind of hustling.
Everything suffers when we are continually stressed; our physical health, mental health, relationships, creativity, and ability to focus on what is truly important.
“We have been taught that the only way to be successful is to work harder, faster and for longer. And sure this can lead to success in building great businesses. But, it will almost certainly lead to burnout.” – David Hiatt.
Many business owners, staff and customers and families have been singed and burnt by the long-reaching effects of Covid-19. Unfortunately, in some instances, the way through is thinking, “We just have to tough it out’ Outdated thinking that doesn’t acknowledge your wellbeing or the effects on the people around you, including your close relationships. It’s also important to state that offering wellbeing solutions is not a fix to keep yourself more resilient to keep running on the hamster wheel.
“Stress, when managed effectively, can leave our bodies a bit stronger and healthier than they were before the experience. It can even increase mental stamina, new perspectives, a sense of mastery, strengthened priorities, deeper relationships, a greater appreciation of life, and a sense of meaning. Something we are not often told.” {the stress report, 2020, Do Lectures}
So What To Do About Stress?
Some things are just out of our control, like covid-19 —no question. But you have a tool you carry with you all the time, your mindset. When you change your mind about stress, you can change your body’s response and literally rewire your body into activating what we call a “cocktail of calm” that begins to settle your entire nervous system and those responses.
At Calm Body Calm Mind, We want people to be their own Chief Wellbeing Officer {idea from The Stress Report} – your role is to be human, to look after your mind & body, to ask for support, to shift the stress cycle, to speak out loud the things that are stressing you and live a life in balance. You are the only one who can do this.
Begin by asking yourself – Am I ok?
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can? If you ignore speaking truth to anxiety and stress, the hamster wheel will continue to cycle until your mind & body rapidly reaches crunch point.
This might take the form of digestive issues, headaches, constantly feeling on edge, having trouble falling asleep, a general state of irritability with the people around you, muscle tension, tiredness, shakiness, unrealistic worry, high blood pressure and/or palpitations. Of course, we ALWAYS suggest you see a health practitioner if you are concerned.
However, we have body-mind based proven tools and strategies that complement a mainstream medical approach, “prescriptions of calm,” if you like.
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” -Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning.
We design ‘Calm Body • Calm Mind Prescriptions’ and offer a complimentary 30-minute Exhale Discovery session. The first step is to ask us. Only you can do that.
We also offer classes & workshops that have at their foundation Constructive Rest and restorative techniques, embodied cognition, strategies for soothing a hyperalert nervous system, and everyday mind | body solutions for managing anxiety & stress.
