Why do we hold onto every ounce of stress like it's a precious jewel?

All life transitions bring stress, even the amazing transitions, the ones we have worked so hard to make happen.

Difficult transitions create even more stress and make the challenges and pain worse. Here is speak of this later variety of stress, the raunchy cousin of the stress of witnessing miracles.

So why do we tend to hold onto every ounce of stress like it's a precious jewel?

We grasp and cling to stress like we are afraid that if we loosen our grip it just might, like the proverbial one million grains of sand, slide right through our fingertips.

Stress is coveted for many different reasons.

Don't get me wrong. There are good reasons galore for appreciating stress. One being, it motivate peak performance. But remember, the stress discussed here is the ball and chain kind of stress. The I not only can't run but I can barely walk kind of stress. 

Surely you have noticed how holding on to stress offers diminishing returns. How stress greedily sucks up to fear and leaves us with an energy and spirit deficit.

Holding on to stress is distracting.

It can make it easier for us to push aside other less comfortable feelings, like pain or shame. Stressed out about an upcoming hearing in your divorce case may feel more comfortable than the sadness about the divorce itself.

Holding on to stress might make us feel as if our life has meaning.

We are somebody. Or in question form, who are we without our struggles? We must be somebody if we have such important problems or why would we be so stressed out? 

Not that the things we are stressed out about are necessarily important. 

How important is it that his new girlfriend thinks you are amazing and can't figure out why he left you? How important is it that his new girlfriend thinks that you are so amazing that she better reconsider because he will surely want to get back together with you one day soon? Remember...this is the ex you could not wait to call your ex.....maybe you only remember the good things and question your actions. Yes, stress also protects us from the reality of things. It takes up so much room, what else can fit in between the minutes of our days?

Do me one little favor.

Think about how heavy that stress is. It's so heavy. Also, it chafes, whether it is a hot summer day or a cold winter evening. Stress creates rashes.

I know, you barely feel the stress anymore and it's myriad of chemical accompaniments.   Your body has grown accustom to stress knocking at the inside of your being.

I want to assure you. Not feeling the stress and being numb to its damaging ways doesn't mean stress is not taking a toll.  

That reminds me of another reason we hold tightly to stress, more tightly than we hold to our dreams.

We think: If I am able to handle the stress, I will be stronger.

Maybe even, I will be the strongest. Stronger than the creature giving me all this stress.

Actually, being able to partake of nourishment, replenishment, and self care will make you stronger.

Sit, dear friend,

With This Question:
What would a life full of empowerment, confidence, and self-trust look like?

Let me know how you visualize this life unfolding.

Jodi

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