You have got a flight to catch at 9 PM and an emergency meeting keeps you busy till 6 in the evening at the office and you got to go home, pick up your bag and report at the airport latest by 8 PM. Your home is 20 kms from your office and the Airport is 30 kms from your home and that too in a city like Delhi. It is obviously a situation that is bound to cause stress. This is scenario I.
Scenario II: You have finalized the report for one of the most important projects of your life and your child spills coffee over it, just before you are ready to leave for the presentation. You are bound to lose your temper and cause havoc in the house.
Scenario III: Your boss is forever increasing your targets and you are forever falling short of it. You are trying your best but still falling short of the expectations of your boss. There is a danger of losing your job and the job market is bad. You can’t maintain your jovial self how so ever ‘Bindaas’ (carefree) you may be.
There are such umpteen number of situations that you come across daily that are bound to cause stress. Can you avoid such situations? Are they under your control? The obvious answer is ‘No’. There is bound to be some tension and stress can’t be totally avoided. But, what we need is to manage this stress within limits so that our health doesn’t breakdown. Though Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev doesn’t agree with the terminology ‘Stress Management’. He has very valid objection with the word ‘management’. He will probably be happy with the terminology of ‘Stress Elimination’.
Stress is basically a state of mind. It is a mind body reaction as a response to an unpleasant situation that our mind is not ready to accept. It is also a fact that different people feel different stress levels for the same situations. It is the ‘Mind Conditioning’ that plays a big role whether we suffer from stress or we make our mind ‘Stress Proof’.
Stress can cause psychological as well as physiological impact on us. Anxiety, fear, sadness, depression and anger could be some of the psychological impacts of stress. The list of physical impacts due to stress is endless. Different people may suffer differently due to stress. For some people, stress may lead to high BP and even heart attack. Some may land up with attacks of acidity and too much of stress can even cause ulcers. Many doctors feel that continued stress can lead to even kidney failure and at times cancer also. As per some medical studies, it is said that Internal Toxins produced by the body under stress conditions are far more harmful than external chemical/industrial pollution. Majority of the people suffering from diabetes are found to be living under stressful conditions.
The above mentioned physical ailments can be handled to a large extent through a variety of medications as prescribed by the so called specialist doctors. But if they have been caused due to stress which is the result of how our mind perceives a particular situation or a threat and how it reacts, then isn’t it better that we train our mind to be cool, relaxed, peaceful and joyful. A cool, composed and confident person will handle any situation in a much better way than a person who gets panicky at some of the even mundane situations.
It is a fact that there is hardly any certainty in this world about anything. There could be financial ups and downs, health problems, family skirmishes, official politics and even unpleasant situations in the social set up and any of these can cause stress if our mind is not tuned to face those unwanted situations. This is where the teaching of Bhagvad Geeta is very appropriate:
“Your right is only to perform your duty, but never to its results (fruits). Let not the results be your motive, nor you be indolent.”
So the lesson is that you perform your duty with a mind, free from the anxieties of fruits of your actions. Neither you should be lazy and lethargic due to inaction nor consider yourselves as the cause or creator of results.
The mantra to manage your stress level lies in controlling your own mind. You have to throw away all the negativity lurking in various nooks and corners of the mind and fill your mind with all the positives. You will have to build positive attitude and look at the brighter side of some of the debacles that may come across in your life. Every failure will have to be considered as a stepping stone to success.
A larger perspective on life will help you say ‘Good Bye’ to stress. Sometimes when things don’t happen the way you want, a bit of genuine greater faith in the Supreme Power helps in reducing your despair, dejection and distress.
Breathing exercises like ‘Kapaal Bhati’, ‘Alom Anuvilom’, ‘Bhramri’ or ‘Sudarshan Kriya’ can help a lot in the alleviation of stress. Regular sessions of meditation can train your mind to keep the stress causing thoughts out of the mind. Half an hour workout at the local Gym or a good game of tennis or basketball can be a good stress buster. Yogic physical exercises like Surya Pranaam and others will keep you physically and mentally fit and you will be better equipped to cope up with stress causing situations.
Follow some discipline in your life and follow a healthy lifestyle and food habits. Remain away from negative thinking individuals. They are a drain on your energy and enthusiasm. It is always better to spend time with jovial people who are full of life. They radiate positive energy which has the power to dispel any kind of stress. Comedy shows on the TV or some light movies or the music you love can provide very good relaxation to the mind. A lovely pet at home can be a great stress buster. A few minutes of patting and playing with your pet at the end of a hectic day gives a great relief to mind. Pursuing some hobbies or games that you like may prove to be very good sources of positive energy for the mind. Seven hours of sound sleep nourishes your mind beautifully.
One can never be physically fit if our mind is not at peace. It is our mind that controls our nervous system and that in turn impacts our endocrine system and that affects the rest of the body. So it is important that our mind is peaceful, joyful and full of energy. So mastering of your mind is very important for the general wellness and stress free life.
Veerendra K Jaitly
VK Jaitly is a motivational speaker, a consultant, a coach, a writer and a mentor for the corporate world. He is an ex IITian with 35 years of experience in corporate, academics and defence. His workshops on ‘Business Excellence thru People (BEP)’ have been highly acclaimed for increasing productivity and profitability of organizations.
Jaitly has a number of articles to his credit and has delivered lectures/ presentations at National and International forums and has travelled across the globe. He had been the Leader for an All India Motor Cycle Rally and was Oi/C for a Car Rally from Kanyakumari to Delhi. He loves to trek, plays Golf. His first motivational book ‘We Can! We Can!’ has been getting very good reviews.
