Let's just say I was more than surprised when I started watching this episode of National Geographic's Fight Science.
It wasn't the "fight" that intrigued me, but rather the training that these soldiers endured in order to have such utter control of their physiological responses. With scientists, doctors and paramedics standing by, the participants were put into extreme conditions and asked to complete a variety of herculean tasks, all under pseudo-extreme conditions.
This show demonstrated that training helps us control our physiological responses to our environment.
At times, a far-from rational rush hour, interminable line-ups or exploding deadlines may seem like a battle-zone. In actuality, our interpretation can trigger the stress response; the get-out-NOW or the stay-and-fight flood of chemicals that was inherited from our ancestors. The flood of chemicals comes complete with side-effects, which in a true life and death situation are necessary for survival.
Without techniques in place to help us reset, restore and revitalize our system, we may find that we are much more reactionary. Patience has trickled away, anger or frustration may be the standard emotional forecast and a sense of well-being has long been buried and forgotten.
You don't need to put yourself in extreme conditions in order to train yourself to choose a better way of maneuvering through your life. You do need to practice, though.
Of interest to you, may be this research about how your brain is changed by city living.
Contact me to learn how to work with yourself rather than fight against yourself.
Most of us are fortunate that our professions are not so demanding in preparing for them. It was my experience that as long as one is willing to learn as one moves along life’s many ups and downs and retain one’s sense of humour and destiny, one can cope with just about any stressful situation. May be I am just lucky but there are others around me who too are like that and it can not be that all of us are just lucky!
Rummuser,
Therein lies the rub.
Chronic stress erodes one’s ability to weather the ups and downs of life.
The chemicals that are released during stress have side-effects which pile on more of the feelings that an already stressed person doesn’t want!