Dear Stress, We Need to Talk

Dear Stress, We Need to Talk

Why fighting stress might be the real problem? and how we’ll explore this together in our next Yoga sessions?

These days, “calm” has become a lifestyle brand.We sip calming teas, choose soaps with relaxing scents, paint our walls in “soothing” tones, install “ambient” lighting, and scroll through endless content promising peace, balance, and total serenity.It seems we’re constantly searching for something to calm us down. sometimes even getting a little stressed about not being relaxed enough.

But here’s the thing: stress isn’t the enemy. Not always.

We’ve been conditioned to fear it, to see it as a malfunction. The moment we feel tension: short breath, racing thoughts, clenched jaw, we panic and try to get rid of it. But not all stress is harmful. In fact, some stress is not only normal, but necessary.

There’s helpful stress- and there’s the kind that drains us.

Helpful stress is what gets us moving, keeps us focused, alert, creative, and responsive. It’s the energy that helps us show up: for work, for family, for ourselves. It keeps us sharp in dangerous situations, and motivated in meaningful ones. It’s our body doing what it’s built to do. Then there’s the unhelpful kind, like the stress that builds up when we try to unwind with a calming tea… while watching the news. Our bodies try to relax, but our minds are under siege. Mixed signals. No peace. Sound familiar?

So, what does stress actually feel like?

A shallow breath. A tight chest. Tense shoulders. Racing thoughts. A feeling like you needs to do something, right now, even if you’re not sure what. Your bodies on high alert, even when you just want to sleep, breathe, or think clearly. But here’s the twist: stress itself isn’t the issue. The problem starts when we begin to stress about the stress. When we fight it, resist it, label it as “bad,” and try to shut it down.

What if we stopped resisting and started listening?

In my yoga classes, we explore this idea- how stress lives in the body, and how we can meet it with movement, breath, and awareness instead of resistance.You might be surprised by how much wisdom your stress is holding.

And who knows?Next time, I just might write to you about how wonderful anxiety can be 😉

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