Know Stress? No Stress!

Are you stressed? Okay, let me rephrase: Do you feel like you have taken on too much? Does life feel overwhelming? And do you wish that you either had less to do or more hours in a day?

Well, you may be stressed. The current state of affairs has undoubtedly increased our day to day stress levels. We live in this uber connected world where throwing our phones or laptops away is simply not an option.  It may even be brought back to you by a good samaritan in no time (in their attempt to help). Given all that is going on, the need to control our circumstances increases multifold. But unfortunately, just like holding tightly onto a handful of sand causes the grains to slip out of our hands faster, a stressed mind is not dissimilar. In constantly trying to juggle too much, our mind feels tired and overwhelmed with too many thoughts. 

In our attempt to be on top of things, we start to look at life from the perspective of ‘should be’s’ and ‘should haves’.

• I should get that promotion.
• I should pass that exam.
• I must work from home, yet I should also handle the kids and chores perfectly well. 
• My kids should top their exams and attend the best schools.
• My house and body should be perfect.

In fact, we have filled our lives with so many ‘shoulds’ that even the word ‘should’ started feeling stressed! But it doesn’t have to be that way. As the very wise Om Swami says here: 

“What is” is the truth, not “what should be”.

Living in a world of should be’s triggers stress and the antidote to stress is really simple. Om Swami beautifully explains this in The River of Life:

Being aware of what you are pursuing and why it matters to you is mostly what’s required to make sound choices, that’s slowing down, it’s living in the present— the antidote to stress. ~ Om Swami

Living mindfully, being constantly aware of where we are heading and what we want, allows us to live freely. We make better choices with a clearer mind, and with the presence of contentment, our level of stress reduces considerably. Because at the end of the day, if you are trying to finish a tub of Ben and Jerry’s ice-cream, fast, before your kids get home, that’s quite stressful. You have probably taken on more than you can chew. Literally. Agreeing to share some of it may be a better option. 

Similarly, life may put a lot on our plate, but we still have the choice to make mindful decisions and take a break.  

We can reduce our stress, if we implement the wisdom of mindful living, along with the knowledge that no matter how big our problems seem, they won’t last forever and we will live just fine if we slow down. 

We don’t have to obstruct our path to peace, with some short reflections and meditations, we can ride the waves of stress and lead a more efficient life full of potential. And guess what? We have the Black Lotus App, from the ultimate Genius Himself, which can help us through this.

On this note, please join the Black Lotus UK team on Sunday, 16th May at 4pm BST (8.30pm IST), for a Free Live Zoom session on Managing Our Mental Health. It will be led by Mina Om, Sarika Om, Mitesh Om and myself.

Please register for the event here, on Eventbrite.

A Zoom link will be emailed to you on order confirmation. For your reference, here are some details.

It will primarily focus on:

• The primary cause of stress and why humans experience it. 
• Existing coping mechanisms
• Various ways to better manage stress.
• Bumblebee breathing.
• Stress Response Meditation.
• A walk in the woods: Mindful Visualisation
• Managing stress with the Black Lotus App.

So, if you know stress, say no to stress and let’s look into ways to cope with stressful situations more efficiently!! 

I may also post the Zoom link in the comments section if anyone is struggling to register! Be ready to bid goodbye to your stress and bring a smile with you!