Stress, Energy and Health
Like most people, I am always trying to increase my energy levels in order to do all the stuff that I want to do. My old approach was caffeine – if I pour a lot of coffee/tea on the problem, I will feel alert, energetic and will be able finish it all.
But in the past year or so, I have changed my approach. I’ve realized that instead of trying to ignore my natural energy lows and simply add stimulants, I have been working on calming myself as much as possible leading nonintuitively to MORE energy, not less.
So – I am doing things like yoga, meditation and even acupuncture. I also (painfully) ended my relationship with caffeine earlier this year. For acupuncture, the only analogy I can make to the feeling is that relaxing feeling that comes over me when I have a drink after a very hard day (without the hangover part of course). As a result of all of this, I am much more energetic, with the added benefit of being much better able to handle the stress around owning my own business.
I was speaking to a young client about this a few weeks ago. In her early-to-mid-twenties, this woman is still learning the ropes. I remember how I was in her position – working very hard, but also high strung and stressed out. Conversely, this woman is quite calm and easy-going. I find this approach quite inspiring – and I told her so!
I think as a society we keep turning to expensive super-drugs to resolve both physical and psychological diseases, but I believe that simply handling and reducing stress would resolve it much more effectively. We generously donate to million-dollar breast-cancer campaigns or campaigns for heart and stroke… but really stress is a big contributor to both diseases.
Unlike in the pharmaceutical industry, there CEO watching the market or no network of Marketing Managers and Account Reps who have bonuses riding on how many yoga or acupuncture sessions are sold. So – a mass-effort towards stress-reduction will be a grass-roots initiative… by people who can see that stress doesn’t give you life-energy, it takes it away.
I know a manager center which they owned a acupuncture web, that is wonderful.
Hi Stefanie
Great post and so true. I am currently employed with one of the world’s largest PC makers and work in IT at their Canadian HO in toronto. It has been a stressfull position with management expecting us to do more with nothing…I would settle for more with less.
At any rate, this past summer I was diagnosed with cancer and have been on leave since. I can’t help but believe that this was brought on by stress levels in my life. since then I have evaluated what is important in life and try to focus on things that bring me joy.
Life should be a calm, simple journey. It’s what everyone deserves and few discover.
Thanks Jason, well-said. All the best in your recovery.