Stress transformation

CEBU, Philippines – There are people who believe that stress is a necessary evil. They feel if they took steps to manage stress, they'd become less effective or less successful. To them I suggest two simple exercises.

The first one is a test, and can be done in less than a minute. Hold this newspaper with one hand and clench your fist with the other hand as tightly as you can. As you read, continue to hold the fist tightly, and don't let go for about 30 seconds. When you finally release the tension in the fist, your forearm muscle will be tired and may even hurt.

That's the effect of 30 seconds of tension on one muscle. There are instruments that can measure muscle contraction, and we know that stress can produce a similar level of tension in a number of muscles, most notably the trapezius, which runs from the middle of your back, over the tops of your shoulder, and up the back of your neck. The abdominal muscles are also notable tension accumulators.

If your arm got tired holding a fist for 30 seconds, imagine how much energy you expend by holding on to stress for 10 or 15 hours a day. Stress drains your batteries. It uses up a tremendous amount of energy and accomplishes absolutely nothing. Think of what you could do with all that energy, how much more productive and successful you could be.

The second type of exercise involves stress transformation technique - either yoga, meditation, biofeedback, progressive relaxation etc. Go for one that appeals to you. If necessary, enroll in a course that teaches any of those techniques; stick to it for 30 days and then look at your career and your relationships. See if you have become a more effective person and observe whether your feelings regarding your body and your life have changed. Ask your family members and friends if they see any change and if they like what they see. Then, if the positive feedback doesn't please you, you can always abandon the technique and get your stress back.

Today we tend to equate power with tension and aggression. Through stress transformation you will discover that the truth is exactly the opposite. Personal power comes from vitality, from the experience of a calm, clear mind and a vibrantly healthy body. You cannot buy these qualities, but you can decide to acquire them. You can decide that you are worth the investment in time and attention - because life is short and this is the only one chance at it we've got.