Stress and Everyday Life
Stress and everyday Life
Everyone has used the word “stress” before, what is it, and why is it a commonality upon the population in the western world. The word stress is defined “Physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension”. 1 Has Selye, a pioneering endocrinologist, coined the original definition of the word stress, in the mid-twentieth century. 2 But why do we get stressed? It seems that the modern worlds business culture is the main feed for stress. The long hours working in a office, not knowing if your going to be fired or not, or even having a very disruptive supervisor can bring common stress to everybody; the main source of stress can revolve around the ever so threatening “deadlines” that can make or break people. We all know what it feels like to be stressed, and all the immediate effects of being stressed, but why do we keep on doing this to ourselves. 3
The stock market is a perfect example on how today’s business culture inflicts stress to the business men and women out there on the floor. The stock exchange where people can loose all their money in a blink of an eye or become a millionaire in the same amount of time. There are countless accounts of people getting trampled on because of 2000 other people wanted to get their money. Even though this is a risky market for money people still flood the floors every day of the week. We have to stand back and remember October 29, 1929 Black Tuesday, the beginning on the great depression. It is estimated that stockholders lost more than $40 billion dollars. 4
With all the stress in the environment that today we live in, how do we overcome the stress of life? Some of the generic stress relievers include, music, sex, exercise, visualizations (guided imagery), massage, crying, laugh, ect. The more interesting ones revolve around the Buddhist culture, such as, breathing exercises, yoga, walking (mindful walking), and mainly, meditation. 5 Meditation is a top hit for stress release, but why? What
Everyone has used the word “stress” before, what is it, and why is it a commonality upon the population in the western world. The word stress is defined “Physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension”. 1 Has Selye, a pioneering endocrinologist, coined the original definition of the word stress, in the mid-twentieth century. 2 But why do we get stressed? It seems that the modern worlds business culture is the main feed for stress. The long hours working in a office, not knowing if your going to be fired or not, or even having a very disruptive supervisor can bring common stress to everybody; the main source of stress can revolve around the ever so threatening “deadlines” that can make or break people. We all know what it feels like to be stressed, and all the immediate effects of being stressed, but why do we keep on doing this to ourselves. 3
The stock market is a perfect example on how today’s business culture inflicts stress to the business men and women out there on the floor. The stock exchange where people can loose all their money in a blink of an eye or become a millionaire in the same amount of time. There are countless accounts of people getting trampled on because of 2000 other people wanted to get their money. Even though this is a risky market for money people still flood the floors every day of the week. We have to stand back and remember October 29, 1929 Black Tuesday, the beginning on the great depression. It is estimated that stockholders lost more than $40 billion dollars. 4
With all the stress in the environment that today we live in, how do we overcome the stress of life? Some of the generic stress relievers include, music, sex, exercise, visualizations (guided imagery), massage, crying, laugh, ect. The more interesting ones revolve around the Buddhist culture, such as, breathing exercises, yoga, walking (mindful walking), and mainly, meditation. 5 Meditation is a top hit for stress release, but why? What
Bibliography: 1 "Stress | Define Stress at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. . 2"Definition of Stress - AIS." American Institute of Stress Is Dedicated to Advancing Understanding of Stress in Health and Illness. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. . 3 "Why Do We Get Stressed?" NetDoctor.co.uk - The UK 's Leading Independent Health Website. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. . 4 "Great Depression - Top Five Causes of the Great Depression." American History From About. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. . 5 "The Human Brain - Relieve Stress." Renew - Relieve Stress. The Franklin Institute Online, 2004. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. . 6 Karma, Lekshe Tsomo. Buddhism through American Women 's Eyes. Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications, 1995. Print. 7 Nhá̂t, Hạnh, and Arnold Kotler. Peace Is Every Step: the Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life. New York, NY: Bantam, 1992. Print. 8 Dōgen, and Kazuaki Tanahashi. Beyond Thinking: a Guide to Zen Meditation. Boston, Mass: Shambhala, 2004. Print. 9 Warner, Brad. Sit down and Shut Up: Punk Rock Commentaries on Buddha, God, Truth, Sex, Death, and Dogen 's Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2007. Print. 10 How to Meditate - Guided Meditation Techniques - Buddhist Meditations. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. . 11 "Why Learn to Meditate | How to Meditate." How to Meditate - Guided Meditation Techniques - Buddhist Meditations. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. . 12"Anxiety | Define Anxiety at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. .