Wholesome Green Living: Optimizing Stress

 

Does the word “stress” make you cringe inside?  Stress is not portrayed as something we want to have.  Countless medical research shows how stress has a negative & harmful effect on our bodies. 

However…not ALL stress is bad!!  According to psychologist, Dr. Douglas Kleiber; “To be happy you need a little stress.”

Hi, I’m Brenda and I am the social media writer for HG Labs.  Over the past few weeks we have been exploring various aspects of Wholesome Green Living such as; true green cleaners vs. standard cleaners.  Organic foods vs. conventionally grown foods, and how all natural cleaning products and foods are really affordable. 

Researching these various topics has been enlightening to me and I hope they have been illuminating for you as well.  I am not an expert in the subject matters I write about, but I am a person who desires to promote green clean living and speak as a “regular mom” too.  Plus…I am eagerly learning and researching these subjects to become more acquainted with various aspects of Wholesome Green Living! 

Researching the topic of “stress” has been no less enlightening for me.  I know that stress has implications physically on our bodies.  Stress has affected me personally and physically!  I have always thought that it is good to eliminate stress.  What I have found out through reading, however, is that stress has benefits too.

Medical doctors, S.I. McMillen & David E. Stern, wrote in their book entitled, None of These Diseases that there are three levels of stress: under stress, optimum stress, and over stress.

At first glance, I would have thought that someone who was under stressed would be at their prime—not so! 

Optimum stress is where we want to be!  It is a place of balance.

At optimum stress we are at a place where there is just enough stress to keep us motivated, & challenged.  This is  where we have balance in our lives.

Under stressed people lack motivation, are under-challenged.  Under stressed individuals can become irritable, bored and even fall into depression.  Maybe you have seen this in your own family.  Maybe you, yourself have had a time of being under stressed.

Over stressed people are those who feel out of control and are heading toward burnout.    They can’t find enough hours in the day to accomplish all the demands they face. 

Drs. McMillen & Stern point out that stress has to do with inner control.  Both under stressed and over stressed individuals feel a lack of control and therefore negative stress sets in.  A person walking with a balance of control in his/her life would be in the category of optimum stress.

Take an honest inventory of yourself…  Which category do you see yourself in?  How did you get there?  If you are under stressed or over stressed, what steps are you going to take to get yourself out of that and begin walking in Optimum Stress?

You may be wondering how the topic of Stress fits into our series on Wholesome Green Living? 

Wholesome Green Living, to me, means walking in the natural rhythms of life.  Living simply, using all natural products, taking time for relationships, etc. 

So there must be a natural way to walk through stress and find good in it, while learning how not to fall into the negative dimensions of stress. 

I think the Serenity Prayer sums up inner control (optimum stress) the best:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can,

And the wisdom to know the difference.

Brightly Green All Natural Cleaners wishes you…

Achieve Optimum Stress –for your health!

 

 

 

 

Please Leave a comment and a link to your Blog and or website!