Stress is the greatest thief of all time. It is the villain that we fail to recognize even though it stares us straight in the face on a daily basis. When stress enters our lives, our lives change. True intimacy and human connection becomes tainted, laughter fades, and our body recoils in self-protection. The hormone Cortisol spikes drastically, causing us to store fat in our bodies and aiding the roller-coaster ride that our emotions take in times of stress.
This morning, I woke up anxious. The anxiety was unmerited, undirected, and confusing, but it over-flowed over into a stress-filled morning at work. My hair, my uniform and my mind was a mess…that is,until I came across this photograph in my collection and I couldn’t help but to smile. Smiling led to breathing, breathing led to laughter, and laughter led to this blog post.
- The antidote to stress: laughter and simplicity. Photo – taken in Angola, Africa by Fabiano.
Remember, we chose the path of stress. Don’t allow it to steal away your day today, or any day. As my friend Chaney says, “don’t stress what you can’t control.” Today, I am inspired by these Angolan children, Chaney’s statement, and my father’s ability to let life roll care-freely off his shoulders. In thinking about these things, I already feel better. Choose to do the same. Stress equates to mess, so dwell on those things of life that negate stress. You have the power not to be robbed of life, and it is up to you learn how to let go of stress once it starts to seep into your mind. A stressful morning does NOT have to turn into a stressful day.