So chapter three was all about stress. Stress is something that I think everyone can relate to on some level no matter where they are in their lives. As pointed out in the chapter, stress comes in many forms, including eustress which can be very positive.
Right now I happen to be in a stage where there really isn’t a lot of stress in my life. Granted I’m recently coming out of a stage where it was high, pulling my hair out stress, EVERY…SINGLE…DAY!! Having gone through that and come out the other side I feel like I have a new outlook. In our reading there was a section that talked about stress appraisal. The book stated that it isn’t always the event itself that causes us stress, but our appraisal of it. That really hit home for me.
Over the past year I’ve really tried to lower my stress levels by constantly being mindful of my reactions and then asking myself, “Is this really such a terrible thing, or am I making it worse than it needs to be.” We’ve probably all heard the famous quote by Robert Eliot, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, and It’s all Small Stuff.”
That holds true for this whole eating healthy goal as well. Obviously eating healthy has so many important benefits, but on a moment by moment level (or meal by meal) its all small stuff. So yeah I’m cooking more, looking for healthy food alternatives, drinking more water. But if I decide that I’d really like a piece of chocolate today guess what, I’m having that chocolate. Maybe I opt for a smaller piece. Maybe I choose a dark chocolate that has more coco and less sugar but I’m enjoying it and not stressing over it.
Lucy 2.0 My Healthy Journey 