Stress is a part of life - and not all stress is bad. In fact, it can be a great motivator, and even a life-saver.

Unhealthy, on-going stress – and its negative effects - occurs when we feel afraid, out of control and/or are out of balance in one or more areas of our lives.

Chronic negative stress creates serious health and life problems. These harmful effects include heart disease, depression, insomnia, digestive issues, obesity, and weakening of the immune system. High stress levels prompt anger and lack of focus and concentration. Stress negatively affects your skin, often in the form of blemishes and rashes, and premature aging. Stress-induced teeth-grinding during sleep can result in extremely expensive dental procedures. You can begin to lose hair in copious amounts, and gain harmful abdominal-area weight if your adrenals are over-taxed and the hormone cortisol is pumped out in an attempt to protect the body from a constant level of survival-driven anxiety and fear. Burn-out, mental/emotional meltdowns, car accidents, self-defeating and addictive behaviors and damage to personal and work relationships are also the result of the harmful effects of poorly managed stress.

Band-aids are not going to solve the problem. Neither are unhealthy coping devices

If you have turned to over-indulging in alcohol, drugs, food, "retail therapy", or any other type of self-medicating/comfortably numbing and escapist coping devices, unless you are in deep denial, you know in both your heart and your mind they are not only self-destructive health-wise, but are often highly, sometimes irreversibly damaging to relationships, family, career, bank accounts and education - but you struggle with trying to quit as there is usually some sort of payoff to you, albeit temporary and ultimately harmful.

Stressors will always be there. The good news is you can learn how to manage the effects of chronic stress in a positive, empowering manner while you also work to uncover and address its root causes.

Sometimes your stress is caused by external/consciously driven factors.

Sometimes it's internal/subconsciously driven factors.

More often, it is a combination of both.

Approximately 88% of our thoughts, choices, actions and behaviors come from our subconscious mind. That leaves only about 12% to arise from our conscious mind.

You do the math. If your conscious and subconscious mind are in conflict, which one do you think wins out?

A fair portion of stress is caused by negative thoughts, beliefs and self-talk.

By allowing these worn-out and energy-draining mental tapes to run unquestioned through your mind creates
an ongoing pattern of suffering that is within your power to control - when you learn how.

Knowing where your stress comes from gives you the power to change how the various factors involved affect you, and to become the master – as opposed to the slave – to their negative health and life effects. Working with both your conscious and subconscious thought processes allows you to leave no stone unturned in managing your stress and attaining greater self-mastery.

A critical key to self-mastery is knowing how to mindfully respond to whatever stressors come your way, instead of knee-jerk reacting. Of equal importance is creating and maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle that gives you more control over the harmful effects of unavoidable on-going life stressors.

When you are in auto-pilot reaction mode, the primitive parts of your brain and mind kick into high gear, putting you in fear-based "fight, flight, or freeze" mode. Survival is what drives you, but your subsequent ingrained patterns of thought, choice, action and behavior can actually cause more problems to arise, and even propel you to sabotage yourself with harmful (to yourself and others) coping devices.

However, when you are in mindful response mode, the more evolved parts of your brain and mind are in charge.

Your ability to handle what's going on with calm equanimity is enhanced, and more beneficial possibilities and solutions become accessible to you.

You become increasingly fear-less and power-full.

Think for a moment how this will feel - and how your life can change in so many positive ways.

By learning how to positively and proactively respond to stressors in a healthy, productive manner – as opposed to reacting in an unhealthy, unproductive way - you can regain greater control and balance in your life. Fear no longer drives your thoughts, choices, actions and behaviors. Framing your lifestyle with healthy, positive choices in terms of diet, exercise and proactive self-care rounds out the package.

You can learn to begin to regain control and achieve greater inner and outer balance with your unique combination of conscious and subconscious stressors.

Isn't it time you do something positive, proactive and empowering for yourself - and in turn, for everyone your life comes into contact with?

Everyone is capable of managing their stress levels in a positive, mindful manner if they give it their focused attention and put in the effort.

Using mindful, proactive Mind/Body Wellness Awareness tools that have been scientifically, medically and psychologically proven to positively affect and bring greater balance to your mind, brain and entire body, you will gain increased mastery over your life stressors.

That is, as long as you are willing to find the courage within and invest the energy without: time, effort, financial resources  - and above all – a genuine sense of caring about the impact that your stress has upon you, and all the people your life comes into contact with.

“The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.”
- Pema Chodron

Admitting you need help managing stress - and getting it - is an act of great power, courage and wisdom.

The value you will receive in a proactive investment in yourself and improving your experience of Life will far exceed the cost of coaching sessions or trainings.

Please click here to learn more about Mind-Body Coaching and Training with Suzanne.

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