Take a look at these two pictures of President Obama can you believe that they are only 3 years apart! I post this to emphasize a point, “Emotional stress has physical manifestations.” We as humans tend to differentiate the physical and emotional as separate parts of our selves, never to cross. These pictures tell a different story. The immense stress that accompanies the presidency has taken its toll on Mr. Obama. His wrinkles have deepened; his hair is grayer, his eyes have become more sunken and just looks like over the last 3 years he has aged 10!
Now we don’t have to be the president to show signs of stress. It can manifest in many ways, here are a few examples: More prone to sickness, injuries occur more frequently, fatigue, random pain, hair loss, skin conditions, and upset stomachs or diarrhea.
So what’s the lesson? Mind your stress. When things occur in your body, don’t ignore them, check in and see what’s happening in your life and then look what you can change to decrease the stress or increase your coping mechanisms.
Including exercise in your daily routine can greatly increase your ability to deal with stress. Our diet also plays a big role. If the fuel your are putting in is bad, what do you expect to get out? Lastly get outside when ever you can, we live in an age where most of us are behind a computer, locked in a room most of the day. Go outside, breathe some non-air conditioned air and bask in your surroundings. Get a massage! You’ll be glad you did! Enjoy the rest of your life, let the politicians stress out while we keep aging at the rate we’re supposed to.
