How I handle stress

In 2016, my business was having a really tough time. I wasn’t sleeping well Can't view this email properly? [View in Browser]() {NAME}, In 2016, my business was having a really tough time. I wasn’t sleeping well — I was waking up gasping for breath, so I went to see an ENT. They looked inside my mouth. “Everything is physiologically okay,” they said. “Are you under any stress?” And I laughed because I was really stressed out. The doctor told me to consider lifestyle changes. I always thought I didn’t get affected by stress. This experience was an eye-opener for me. It taught me that while my threshold for stress may be high, I’m still human. And just like everyone else, I can still get stressed to the point where it affects my life in very negative ways. A quick Google search will give you tons of tips for short-term stress relief: Go for a walk, do a workout, change your diet, buy a dog, etc. Ramit talking on mic Lot’s of advice out there. But I’m more focused on the major, sweeping changes, the structural changes, the Big Wins. Is stress a bad thing? If I asked people if they thought stress was bad, many of them would say, “What do you mean? Of course, stress is bad!” But in her book “[The Upside of Stress](),” Kelly McGonigal says [that stress is not necessarily a bad thing](). She says it’s the belief that stress is bad that’s harmful, not stress itself. If we see stress as something that can actually help us, we end up stronger and more adaptable. Kelly embraces stress as a chance to grow and learn, rather than something to dread. Kelly goes on to say that stress prompts physical changes in the body, like a pounding heart and quickened breath, typically identified as symptoms of anxiety. But these signs can also mean you’re gearing up for maximum effort, like a runner before a marathon. Additionally, stress releases [oxytocin](), a hormone that encourages social bonding, which can turn stressful experiences into opportunities for strengthening relationships and building resilience. How can we change the way we feel about stress? Through reconception. If we reconceptualize what we experience, we don’t necessarily need to escape from it. I found this book and the whole concept to be absolutely profound. This is what I mean by Big Wins. If we stop viewing stress as bad, we can stop letting it deplete us. How to handle stress better After you reconceptualize your stress, you’ll gain the space to examine your lifestyle and make appropriate changes to better handle stress when it comes up. I remember in Italy I went to visit a factory of a fashion brand. They take VERY long lunches. I think it’s 90 minutes. They have fresh food made, and it’s all local. They said, “Look around. There’s people outside. They're going for a walk.” It was a good reminder. In America, most of us think of work as everything there is in life. But if we intentionally design our work hours around our Rich Life, we can make work less stressful. Here’s how I do it: I made the decision to work from home. Working from home gives me control over my time, my diet, even my ability to take a break. I understand not everybody can work from home, but it’s one of the most important factors of my daily happiness. Ramit sleeping One of the many perks of working from home. What about you? If you were to look at your lifestyle, what would be the two or three most important things that you could do to be happier? Don’t worry about how to do them yet. Just name them. After you put that down on paper, then you can decide: - Is that possible today? - Is it possible two years from now? - What do I need in order for it to be possible? A Rich Life is intentional. It’s something you create for yourself, a life that you want to live. Next week, I’m going to be talking about how to intentionally design your career around your Rich Life. Stay tuned. [Signature] [Programs]() [Podcast]() [Netflix show]() [Books]() [Website]() [IG]() [in]() [X]() [YT]() Was this forwarded to you? [Sign up here](). [Unsubscribe here](. 548 Market St #89946 San Francisco, CA 94104-5401