It. Is. Possible. The misconception about that stress is that it is a constant. Stress is relative. It consistently changes. Constantly shifts. Stress ultimately is a result. If you want to find freedom from stress your focus cannot be the stress itself, it has to be where that stress comes from. If you want to eliminate a weed from a garden you don’t cut the weed below that leaf; you pull the root from the dirt. The leaf is simply what you see and, in this case, the leaf represents stress. You see stress but often the root of that stress goes unrecognized. First you must detach the root. Once you do, then action can be taken to find freedom.
The initial, yet most humbling, step of taking action against stress is to change yourself within a situation. You may not even be the problem, but you can still be a part of the solution. Taking the initiative to evaluate who you are, what you stand for, and what you are pursuing can lead to the freedom you have been seeking. You allowing yourself the opportunity to change can lead to the path that brings your freedom. Even when you change there still may not be the freedom you longed for.
If you have changed personally within a situation and still haven’t found freedom from stress then begin to surround yourself with people who will be your sounding board. You need to surround yourself with people you can trust in whatever situation you encounter. Trust is essential. Trust can lead to the bonds that break the chains that cause your stress. These bonds, rooted in love, are the coat of protection in a situation that is causing stress. But even with a coat of protection, there still might be something that kills peace.
If you’re in a situation where something or someone is killing your peace, then remind yourself that in many cases you have the power to change that situation. One of my favorite things about Michael Jordan is that he took the initiative to change his surroundings. He won championships because he didn’t allow those around him to drift into complacency. Then there are simply those who are unwilling to change.
When you are surrounded by dead weight, then in many cases the most freeing thing to do is move out of that situation. Stress is possible to be overcome. You can do it. You will do it. I trust you to do it.
Jake Wentworth 