The Stress Parasite

Stress sucks. I know, that's something everyone knows but I thought I would repeat it just because.

We all get stressed and have to deal with tense situations at one point or another; it's not a unique problem. It's how we deal with it that makes the difference.

I've never been a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kinda girl. I am usually a planner and fairly organized when it comes to most stuff. Even when things appear to NOT be organized, they are neatly filed away in my brain in order of importance along with details about what needs to be done. 

Lately, things have been super extreme, highly stressful, nail-biting times for me. The difference has been how I am dealing with it. I have my momentary internal freak-outs because that's just part of my personality but I try not to give in to worrying. Worry is such a useless emotion that is parasitic - the more you feed it, the more it grows and takes over. 

Stress wreaks havoc on your body by making it hard to sleep, eat, and focus. Plus, continually having high anxiety levels is detrimental to your health over a long period of time.

I'm not saying that people should go through life with blinders on because that is just stupid. What I AM saying is that dealing with stressful situations in a constructive, common sense way is the best option. We all have problems but the one thing to keep in mind is that there is a solution to EVERY problem and EVERYTHING is fixable, no matter how broken it gets. 

Deal with things as they happen and don't sweat it. In the grand scheme of things, problems are minuscule. Living a life full of love, laughter, creativity, and adventure is what matters most.

Happy Trails!

Valeka

Step Three - Blaze Your Own Trail

What do you do when you reach the end of a path that has been laid out FOR you?  You create your own.

One of my favorite words (despite Sarah Palin's abuse of it) is "trailblazer." I like it because it brings to mind an image of a person that is bold enough to create a new trail for themselves, and others, where one doesn't exist. 

For much of my life, I've been a stay-on-the-path kinda girl. I figured that if there was a path, it was there for a reason and that it was likely my best option for moving forward because it was tried, true and safe. The complete opposite of what a trailblazer would think and do.

Have you ever gone for a walk in the park and get the sudden urge to venture off in a new direction? That's your internal trailblazer telling you that it's time to try something different. Sometimes in life, it's necessary to deviate from the established path.

That’s how I came to love hiking and trail running. I always stuck to sidewalks and tracks because everyone used them. I never realized how much I was missing out on by staying within that comfort zone. There is so much more to see and do! Every time I take a new path, I discover something cool and unique.

Making my own trail when it comes to my health and well-being is the norm for me now. I don’t follow fad diets or buy the latest fitness equipment. I do what feels right for my body. I listen to it closely because it will let me know what it wants or needs. 

Blaze your own trail when it comes to your health and wellness and soon you'll be creating new paths in other areas of your life. Adventure awaits!

Happy Trails!

Valeka