
We can all relate to this dis-easiness, called stress, and therefore it will be helpful to you when making the connection between habitual thinking and the unhealthy effects on the body.
Many of the stress symptoms start slowly, maybe with headaches or nervousness, followed by migraines or a nervous breakdown, maybe an upset stomach or a cold that doesn't want to go away, leading into more and more severe illnesses when not addressed. Now we can swallow every pill there is and it will temporarily relive the pain, but what happens afterwards?
We have to go to the root of the problem. You have to address the real issue. Don’t just take medications and try all the new ‘cures,’ because they will be outdated in a month or so. Diet products etc. work one day and not the other, because you are not fixing the real underlying issues in your stressful dispositions.
Here is a great little story I found online, and I frequently use as an example in my workshops, which I want to share with you:
A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.
She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”
She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.” Remember to put the glass down!
I’m urging you to ask yourself: who is holding this glass? Who decides when to put it down, or not? This is a fantastic example of how stress works when you allow it to take over your day.