ANTI-STRESS

Aloha my Fantastic Family, Fabulous Friends and all other FANTABULOUS people who have joined today's BLOG. I have a great person joining us!!! Her name is AUNTIE STRESS and she will take over tonight's blog.  

AUNTIE STRESS SAYS: STRESS KILLS. Really! Think about it. It's simple physics, really. 

From Wikipedia:

"Stress in material science means that material is influenced in a way that may cause it to break or change its form.

Stress is the way in which the force per unit area is spread out in a cross-section of an item that balances and reacts to external loads applied to a body. It is a second-order tensor with nine dimensions, but can be fully described with six dimensions due to symmetry in the absence of body moments. Stress is often broken down into its shear and normal components as these have unique physical significance. It often results from built up pressure due to the lack of an outlet."

Blah... blah... blah...

In other words... If you apply enough STRESS to an object it'll either CHANGE to FIT the STRESS or IT WILL BREAK. 

YOU WILL BREAK.

Before I, AUNTIE STRESS, go on, a disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I am not a nurse. I am not a psychologist. I am not affiliated with any sort of health industry. You are reading this blog with the full knowledge that AUNTIE STRESS is not authorized by any school, institution or government to give health and medical advise. If you follow any advise in this blog it is at your own discretion and at your own risk. Okay? Nod if you agree. If you read anything past this paragraph that means you have nodded and you agree.

Did you nod? Great. that means you haven't collapsed from all that STRESS you've been carrying on your shoulders. Let AUNTIE massage them for you. Relax. Chill. Let it go.

Really. Just let it go. If you do not, The American Institute of Stress says:

"There are numerous emotional and physical disorders that have been linked to stress including depression, anxiety, heart attacks, stroke, hypertension, immune system disturbances that increase susceptibility to infections, a host of viral linked disorders ranging from the common cold and herpes to AIDS and certain cancers, as well as autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. In addition stress can have direct effects on the skin (rashes, hives, atopic dermatitis, the gastrointestinal system (GERD, peptic ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis) and can contribute to insomnia and degenerative neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease. In fact, it’s hard to think of any disease in which stress cannot play an aggravating role or any part of the body that is not affected (see stress effects on the body stress diagram HERE). This list will undoubtedly grow as the extensive ramifications of stress are increasingly being appreciated." 

Stress KILLS. Don't get me wrong... YOU are not going to be stressed and get AIDS. That is not what the article above is explaining. STRESS is LINKED to the AGGRAVATION of DISEASE. 

So... let go.

I AM talking about the big things... The REALLY BIG things that throw your life into a tailspin. Chronic Stress comes from Finances, Relationships, Death, Health... there are too many to mention. I realize that letting go of the stress is easier said than done but hopefully you and I can take a few steps forward to learn to LET IT GO.

I am NOT say that you have to let of the thing that is causing the stress. IF you CAN... PLEASE DO!!!! If you CAN'T walk away from the "stressor" DON'T STRESS! Most of the time the "STRESSOR" is out of our control. I am saying to LET GO OF YOUR REACTION. 

"People are disturbed NOT by a thing but by their PERCEPTION of a thing." -Epictetus

FIRST--} Schedule TIME for YOURSELF. You will not LET GO and CHANGE without giving yourself the TIME to do so. Look at your Daily, Weekly and Monthly schedule. Make sure you have PRODUCTIVE "YOU" TIME. In the hustle of life many times stress will occur just because we are not flexible enough to COPE WITH CHANGE. Be Flexible. 

SECOND--} Talk to someone. Anyone. Friends. Family. Just start TALKING. Reach out and you'll find that many people will be there to stand with you. The people that matter were probably there the entire time to begin with... you only needed to ASK FOR HELP. Hold out your hand to your family and let them know that you need them.

THIRD--} Make a COMMITMENT TO CHANGE. Chronic and Acute stress can DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH if you let it. This will be a long process but you CAN LET GO and CHANGE. Only YOU can CHANGE YOU.

Ways to let go...

PHYSICALIZE IT.

Buy some gym/running shoes. I think these foot protectors are called SNEAKERS. Get yourself a good pair. DO SOMETHING PHYSICAL EVERYDAY. Go for a RUN. Join a Gym. TAKE CLASSES! Yoga is a great way to FOCUS ON YOU and RELEASE STRESS through intensive stretching and breathing. Martial Arts is a great way to PHYSICALIZE YOUR STRESSORS with focused exercise build to improve self-defence and stamina. Go hiking or go to the beach for a SWIM... every weekend. 

EXTERNALIZE IT.

--} I know I mentioned this before but... TALK TO SOMEONE. Some stressors are bigger than we think. Seek Professional help. A teacher. A doctor. A nurse. Your general practitioner is a good place to start. Tell them what you are going though and they can get you to see the right people. A doctor can NAME your difficulties. I know that by NAMING my personal struggles, I have been able to over come them. I suggest this because sometimes we can say things to strangers that we may not say to our well meaning Friends and Family. 

I hope this helps. 

With love and hugs,

AUNTIE STRESS

Please go HERE for the more information on the ramifications of stress from the American Institute of Stress. The chart below is also courtesy of The American Institute of Stress:

I am THANKFUL.

(2/3/2013 UPDATE #2: Here is the song my Family sung for my AUNTY.  "Ekolu Mea Nui" by Robert J. K. Nawahine.)

ʻEkolu mea nui ma ka honua
ʻO ka manaʻo ʻiʻo ka manaʻo lana
A me ke aloha ke aloha ka i ʻoi aʻe
Pômaikaʻi nâ mea âpau
Pômaikaʻi nâ mea âpau

Three important things in the world
Faith, hope
And love, love is the best
And everything is blessed
And everything is blessed

LOVE IS THE BEST!!!!

(2/1/2013 UPDATE: The obituary for Aunty can be found HERE. Thank you again to everyone for their support. Much ALOHA.)

Thank you to you, My Family, My Friends and others who have stopped by to read.

THANK YOU.

Today's Disclaimer: I apologize for another late post. I was writing on something entirely different which will be posted next Thursday as I will reserve SUNDAY for FOOTBALL and the importance of FAMILY. You will understand more as you read. This post is mostly for MY FAMILY. To my FRIENDS and GOOD PEOPLE that have stopped by... please read on.

I am not a doctor. I am not a nurse. I am not a psychologist. I am not a counselor. I am not affiliated with any sort of health industry. You are reading this blog with the full knowledge that Pilialoha K. Nathaniel is not authorized by any school, institution or government to give health and medical advise. If you follow any advise in this blog it is at your own discretion and at your own risk. Okay? Nod if you agree. If you read anything past this paragraph that means you have nodded and you agree.

For My FAMILY,

Our Aunty just passed away last night after a four month-long struggle, a fight to survive. She did not have cancer. She did not have any major health problems. She got into a minor car accident while on a routine trip to the market. If you haven't done so already, for more information go HERE for what happened to Aunty or go HERE for a journal of her struggles.

I am THANKFUL for the time I got to spend with our FAMILY in Minnesota. At the time (four months ago) I was told that the doctors had decided that nothing else could be done for our Aunty and that they would take her off of life support. I went to give whatever support I could and to take care of GRANDMA and bring her back to Hilo whenever she wanted. All life support was pulled the day before I got on the plane to go to Minnesota. I thought I would be flying into Minnesota to find my family grieving. I thought I would find my Grandmother grieving for a lost sister. My Uncle grieving for his lost wife. I thought I would have to try my best to lift my family.

INSTEAD I found my Aunty still "kicking". (Really! By the third day after they removed life support she was moving and kicking around the bed like she wanted to run a marathon.) I'm not going to "sugar-coat" this... she looked bad. She barely looked like Aunty when I first got there...AND... she got better everyday during the week I was there. By the fourth day she recognized me. I would like to think she recognized me as her Niece Pili... But I'll take any sort of recognition.

I said "Hi Aunty!"

Aunty opened her eyes and said, "Hi!" and smiled her beautiful smile.

Thank you Aunty for giving our family these last four months with you. Thank you Aunty for trying so very hard to get better. I cannot imagine the pain and confusion you must have bore. Thank you for allowing us to say "A HUI HOU".

Until we meet again, Aunty. I know you are up in Heaven with your Brother and your Mom and Dad eating sweetbread, malasadas, Minnesota hot-dish and chop suey.

I want to also thank MY GRANDMA. When I went to Minnesota I thought I would have to have to lift the cornerstone of our family. GRANDMA... you are that cornerstone and I will always be there for you. Thank you Grandma. THANK YOU for taking care of yourself. Thank you for your strength. Thank you for your honesty. Thank you for your LOVE.

Thank you for reading,

Cousin Pili

Sunset. St. Cloud Minnesota. I love you Aunty. Thank you.