We feel it in our body in the form of tension headaches to severe migraines, shoulder pain, chest tightness, fatigue and anxiety spiraling into nervous breakdowns. "Manage your stress" they say, I've tried and failed many times, when I did succeed, it was momentary, I soon fell off the stress management bike and found it difficult to get back on. So I begun meditating. It helped release the stress but it didn't make it go away for good. I found it stressful to find time to meditate. And when I organized time for it, I stressed over the fact that I didn't have a proper environment in which to meditate comfortably and without distractions.
1. Acceptance of stress as part of my life
2. The practice of non-resistance
When I accepted that I can't eliminate stress from my life entirely, I begun recognizing the good stress, even being grateful for it. Stress pushes me to do things I would never do. It gives me the needed energy to meet work deadlines, multitask and see results. Good stress is "fun". You're on the go, the world awaits, things get done, and you feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day - you achieved many things you might not have if "stress" didn't kick in and tell you to go, go go!
Bad stress, as mentioned above, depletes your energy. This is when you should practice non-resistance. When you're always bracing yourself against the force of crushing waves, it will hurt. But when you let go, the waves will carry you gently to shore. I learned to stop myself from reacting when I'm about to confront any stress that threatens my peace. Instead I surrender, and let it wash over me. After all, think about it for a minute...
Whether you stress over it or not, what will be, will be. As the famous Paul McCartney song so wisely states "Let it Be". Letting go and surrendering any situation to that which is bigger than you, I personally call this bigger-than-me-thing "God", some call it the Universe or the Source; when you surrender and trust that no matter what the outcome of any situation you might be facing in your life, you will be fine... then you will ride the stress wave and not let it crush you.
Read more: http://www.the3keysoflife.com/2011/04/how-to-deal-with-stress-today.html#ixzz1IkeHNjSh