Stress is a term we hear constantly. It feels like everyone is stressed, but what exactly is stress? And how can we get rid of it?

Stress is a mental and psychological discomfort, a sense of emotional pressure.

If you're uncertain about whether you're stressed, try flipping the question: Do you feel serene? Free of pressure? Joyful? Comfortable? Safe?

If not, you're probably stressed, even if it's subtle or hard to name.

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What we absolutely need to know to better deal with stress

Here’s a fascinating idea about stress: it’s not something that happens to you. Stress isn’t an external force, but rather, your brain’s response to what it perceives.

Your brain receives data from your environment, and decides to produce (or not) a stress reaction.

This doesn’t mean being stressed is your fault. However, it does mean you hold some power and responsibility over how you manage it.

Which is a great thing! It means we can do something about it :)

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Why are we all stressed?

The short answer: our bodies, especially our nervous systems, haven’t caught up to modern life.

Stress is a normal response, just like physical pain, that’s designed to prompt us to act. In small doses, stress is beneficial. It motivates us, pushes us to achieve goals, and helps us survive challenges.

For example, imagine a prehistoric human with a family to feed. Stress would drive them to hunt and gather food. Or, if threatened by a bear, stress would fuel a fight-or-flight response (hopefully flight) to make sure they survive.

In these scenarios, stress was temporary and followed by rest: eating, bonding, and sleeping.

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Today, stress has morphed into something more insidious

Rather than short bursts of stress followed by recovery, we experience a constant, low-level hum of stress. We’re bombarded with demands for productivity, endless consumption (hello Black Friday), and an unrelenting stream of stressful messages via devices that are practically glued to our hands.

This chronic stress leaves our nervous systems in overdrive, with little opportunity to rest and reset.

And then we wonder why we don't sleep well...

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Lessons from an impala

As always, we can learn a lot from nature.

After escaping a predator, prey mammals often tremble, shaking off the stress and allowing their nervous system to return to normal. (You can watch a fascinating example of this in this video).

We, too, need rituals to help release stress and restore balance. Because stress doesn't only live in our brains. It's a whole body experience.

Physical activities like sports, dancing, or even purposefully shaking your body (like the impala!) can work wonders to regulate the nervous system and dissipate built-up tension.

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What if it never got to that point, though?

Releasing stress is great, but we can also reduce the sources of it.

With Yoga with Clem members, we work on building healthful routines to both eliminate unnecessary stressors and learn to manage our stress better.

Stress may be an inevitable part of life, but understanding it gives us the tools to manage it.

By combining physical outlets, mindful routines, and a thoughtful approach to our environments, we can get our heads out of the water and live more balanced lives.

If you'd like to be one of the 3 people I'll invite to join us, so that you can finish the year on a high, dealing with holidays with a calm mind and starting 2025 with the exact tools and routines you need to feel like you have your shit together... reply to this email with "INFO" before November 30.

I'll send over all the details.

Om shanti 🧡

Clem