Are You Feeling Stressed? Pause and Take a Breath with Me

Hiya Gorgeous,

Earlier this week, I went to visit a friend who’d just moved. As she was showing me her new house, she talked about how easily it all came together. 

It was the first property that she and her hubby had seen. Even though the market was hot, their offer was accepted right away. The furniture even fit perfectly—including a little alcove for their beloved old piano. 

“It was spooky,” she said. “I started thinking we should hit the brakes and see other houses just to be responsible. It all felt too easy.”

Too easy. I’ve said that myself. I bet you have, too.

Here’s a question for you to ponder as we pause together today:

Why do we resist simplicity?

Every woman I know craves more ease, simplicity and spaciousness in her life. We want to exhale, lower our shoulders and laugh a little more. So when ease comes softly knocking, why do we look skeptically out the peephole instead of inviting her in? When did simplicity become suspect?

I think it has something to do with how highly we prize hustle and hard work in this society. “Nothing good ever came for free. The early bird gets the worm. No pain no gain. Etc.” 

It’s a whole lot of push—and not much room for peace or pleasure.

All that overwork eventually crash-lands in our bodies.

In fact, I’ve previously coached my wellness community about the anatomy of overwhelm. We explored what happens to our bodies internally when we grind from one hard thing to the next.

The adrenaline starts to flow, cortisol levels start to rise, and your body enters a state of fight, flight, or freeze readiness.

Your digestion slows to conserve resources. Your circulation diverts from your core into your limbs (so you can outrun a tiger, if need be). Your blood pressure accelerates, right along with your heart rate. You may experience shortness of breath. 

It becomes hard to concentrate on anything except what’s stressing you. That leads to tunnel-vision decisions and reactiveness (instead of responsiveness) to the people around you. And if you’re like me, you also get a little sweaty.

That’s all well and good if you actually need to outrun a tiger. 

But most of us endure those physical stress responses because of the daily pressures of life. After a while, we get accustomed to that constant state of watchfulness. We don’t deal with stress, we just learn to live with stress.

When your body and brain are expecting a tiger and a kitten walks in instead, it’s natural to feel a little suspicious.

If this all feels familiar and you’re wondering how to reduce stress, you may be thinking, Can it really be this easy?

Yes, love. It can.

The stress-cycle is tough.

It can be addictive. It’s definitely self-perpetuating. But it’s time to hop off that inflammation (un)merry-go-round. 

It’s time to exhale, lower your shoulders and laugh a little more. It’s time to answer when simplicity comes knocking.

When you’re choosing a path that’s needlessly hard, or if you feel skeptical of how easily life is flowing, it’s time to reset.

Use this mantra:

I welcome ease. I allow simplicity. 

I welcome ease. I allow simplicity. 

I welcome ease. I allow simplicity. 

I know you’re a hard worker, friend. But may you trust that life doesn’t always have to be hard.

All my love,