Chronic Stress and Anxiety

The healing power of self-care in a world of chronic stress and anxiety.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” ~lao tzu

There are a lot of things to be anxious about these days. We live in a complex and stressful world and anxiety is very common, affecting upwards of 20 percent of the population. Some experience manageable levels; for others anxiety and chronic stress can be debilitating and self-destructing.
Truth is, we have good reasons to be stressed out. We work too much; we don’t take enough time off; we’re constantly plugged in and “on” yet are more disconnected than ever before; many of us struggle financially; our healthcare, education, and political systems don’t support us. We truly face many challenges and struggles every day.
So how do we help ourselves ride the inevitable storms that come our way? How do we handle daily ups and downs without getting swept up by emotions and reactions?
We’ve always understood that we need to make our health and well-being a priority. Replenish first and replenish often.
But we have to take care of ourselves on a physical, emotional and mental level. Body, mind, and soul.
In a world of anxiety and chronic stress, self-care matters.

Let’s first define self-care.
Self-care is an active and conscious choice to engage in activities that nourish us and help us maintain an optimal level of overall health. It basically means making healthy lifestyle choices and implementing stress management strategies.
Self care is not a new concept. We’ve known for a long time that eating well, exercising, maintaining good sleep habits, and eliminating smoking and drinking are all critical in maintaining good health.

What’s new is the holistic approach to self-care that goes beyond taking care of your physical well being. It’s looking at mental health, emotional health, social engagement, spiritual wellbeing, and of course physical care as a basis for it all.
That is the kind of holistic approach we all need to take when thinking about effective and all encompassing self-care.
But we don’t have to completely overhaul our lifestyle in one day, not even one year, to make a substantial difference. Remember, a journey of thousand miles starts with a single step.
We just have to take that one step forward right now.
Can you adopt one healthy habit today? Or perhaps, you can eliminate one unhealthy habit from now on? can you give yourself a gift of a single healthy activity you can commit to doing on a daily or weekly basis?
You have to find your own path.

Your self-care plan may look completely different from mine. It might mean spending more time in nature, taking up running, or ending a toxic relationship. It may mean quarterly juicing, getting a monthly massage, or knitting. It may be developing a new hobby or quitting smoking.
The beautiful thing is that you are in charge. You and only you know what’s most nourishing for you right now, and what you need to be doing to feel better, feel healthy, and feel balanced. You get to decide how to nurture and care for yourself best!
Don’t put off self-care for later. Later will never come. We have to make time now for what’s important, and self-care needs to be your priority. You are worth it!