Golly, people sure are stressed out these days. Have you noticed? Are you one of them? It seems like everyone I encounter is stressed out about something... or everything. And I'll admit that I often fall into the oh-so-comfortable and familiar arms of stress. So here's some straight talk about stress for all of us.

1. We create our stress.

Stress doesn't fall from the sky like rain. It isn't put upon us. We choose it. We create it. We perpetuate it. The good news is that we also have the power to dissolve our current stress and to stop creating new stress. I mean we actually have the power to just stop. Dead in our tracks. Instead of creating stress, we can create peace and calm.

2. Stress isn't circumstantial.

We like to believe that our situations stress us out. But that's just not true. Look around. People with children are stressed. So are people without children. People who work full time are stressed. So are people who are unemployed. So are people who are retired. Anyone, in any circumstance, can be totally stressed out if they choose to be. On the other hand, if you open your eyes and look, you will see plenty of people who have every reason, on paper, to be stressed out of their minds. But they're not. It's not our circumstances that stress us out. Nope. It's our THOUGHTS about those circumstances.

3. You can do things that supposedly reduce stress and still be stressed.

You've probably read all sorts of articles and reports on how to reduce stress, right? Get plenty of exercise. Get good rest. Take deep breaths. Take breaks. Slow down. These things are all superficial changes. I'm not saying they can't be beneficial, but if you really want to experience less stress, you have to change your core beliefs. I don't care how many studies have been published - you'll never convince me that just because someone exercises they are instantly less stressed. If you've been to the gym, you know what I mean. There are plenty of dedicated exercisers who are WAY stressed out. We could all tell stories, I'm sure.

4. Stress is a mask for a more specific feeling.

Stress simply means pressure or tension. Stress isn't really an emotion, though we talk about it like it is. Stress is actually a physical feeling in the body. When our bodies feel stressed physically, there is often an accompanying emotion that we are ignoring. Maybe we feel guilty, sad, angry, deprived, frustrated, or lonely. When we say, "I'm stressed" we are likely experiencing an uncomfortable emotion that we aren't acknowledging.

So there you have it. Are you wondering what to actually do with this information? Good! Come back Friday for some practical ways to end your obsession with stress.

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