There is a plethora of information available regarding stress, how to handle it and how to eliminate it from our lives If we take this phenomenon, stress, back just a bit further, we’ll find that children are the most vulnerable, beginning at the time of birth and need to be nourished and guided, both emotionally and spiritually as they emerge from the womb.

Stress can be instilled in us at such an early age, hence, the use of childbearing techniques at the very start. We all learn rights and wrongs, do’s and don’ts and experience natural feelings that can be scary and unexplained from time to time starting at such a young age. So, I would like to share with you some factual information and simple, creative solutions to guide everyone in alleviating stress, fears, insecurity and uncertainty in your personal and professional lives.

We all know what causes stress. The challenge is reducing it, along with understanding how to manage the amount of stress being dealt to us on a daily basis. Stress is mental, emotional, spiritual and leads to physical manifestations and disease. Stress impacts our immune system which lowers our resistance to disease. Stress leads to heart disease, and is a known prerequisite to cancer and strokes. Seventy five percent of all deaths are stress related. Most visits to the doctor’s office are due to stress induced symptoms. Every week 95 million Americans suffers some kind of a stress related incident and they take medication to alleviate the symptoms. Because of stress, US businesses lose between 200-300 billion dollars a year due to stress related losses in productivity. Much of the time, stress is not recognizable until it is too late.

We all allow stress to affect us only because of one thing. Every one of us has the need to survive. The six human needs that support survival are the need for love and connection, certainty, uncertainty or variety, significance, growth and contribution. Each of us has a different order of importance for these needs. However, if there is a healthy balance of each of these needs, then there is a healthy, measurable amount of reduction of the amount of stress in our lives. It’s that simple.

• Love and connection are so important to the survival of our species and to the survival of our spirit.
• We all need certainty; the certainty of our loved ones, careers, finances, friends and our health.
• In order to grow and learn we must have a significant amount of uncertainty that is not so comfortable to handle. Without this, we do not grow and learn.
• Without growth and challenges we stagnate into a dull and boring life. We just exist.
• Significance is important to an extent. Everybody needs to be recognized as to the great people we are and to the great things we do. We all need to feel important to our families, friends, employers and work associates. Contribution is good for the soul.
• Contribution is the gift of giving unconditionally to those who need us. We can give of ourselves and our time to those who are not as fortunate. Money isn’t everything. To give of our hearts and love is a gift of God.

   Look at how to stop stress before it really starts, and how change the pattern of stress before it becomes detrimental to your health and well-being. Physiology encompasses all that you put into your body that nourishes it. The food you eat and what you drink. The way we stand and the way we move. Motion creates emotion.

Isn’t it time to take action and start feeling good as soon as you get up in the morning? Isn’t it time to make a positive impact and positive change in your personal and professional life and in the lives of others? Stress is a curse. It debilitates and cripples and does not allow you to move forward to have the best life you deserve and to be the very best you can be. It is time to take action now. Make a difference for yourself and for all others. This is the greatest gift you can give to yourself. To quote Helen Keller: “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows.”

(Editor’s Note: Janis Walker is the President and CEO of Ultimate Dynamics Corporation. She has been a corporate and personal coach specializing in the medical and general business fields since 1996. She can be reached at jan@ultimatedynamics.com.).