Stress is the Silent Killer

I have just arrived in my hotel in Dubai and it is 9.30pm Dubai time which is 5.00pm your time. I’m here to present my Mental Resilience Masterclass to some International organisations and to meet my friend Robin Wells who has kindly helped to organise this trip.

Robin and I met 3 years ago when he saw me speak at an event in Dubai and we have stayed in touch since then resulting in this trip.

I came across this story about stress and it is a novel but interesting way to look at the impact of stress.

Stress Paralyzes You

“Once upon a time a psychology professor walked around on a stage while teaching stress management principles to an auditorium filled with students.

As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the typical ‘glass half empty or glass half full’ question. Instead, with a smile on her face, the professor asked,

‘How heavy is this glass of water I’m holding?’

Students shouted out answers ranging from eight ounces to a couple pounds.

She replied, ‘From my perspective, the absolute weight of this glass doesn’t matter.  It all depends on how long I hold it.

If I hold it for a minute or two, it’s fairly light. If I hold it for an hour straight, its weight might make my arm ache a little.

If I hold it for a day straight, my arm will likely cramp up and feel completely numb and paralyzed, forcing me to drop the glass to the floor.

In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it feels to me.’

As the class shook their heads in agreement, she continued, ‘Your stresses and worries in life are very much like this glass of water.

Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and you begin to ache a little.

Think about them all day long, and you will feel completely numb and paralyzed – incapable of doing anything else until you drop them.’”

Stress needs to be addressed

Stress is recognized by many as the No1 proxy killer disease today. The American Medical Association has noted that stress is the basic cause of more than 60 percent of all human illness and disease.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

We can’t ignore the effects of Coronavirus across the world and the impact it is having on business and every single person. This is a time to stay calm and keep positive believing that there will be an end to this, and that we will look back on this in the future as we did with SARS.

SARS also started in China

SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, was first identified in November 2002 in the Guangdong province of southern China. The viral respiratory illness, caused by a coronavirus, spread to 26 countries in North America, South America, Europe and Asia before it was contained in July 2003.

The virus is thought to have spread likely from bats to civet cats — small mammals that resemble weasels — before the first human patient was infected.

During the outbreak, there were 8,098 reported cases of SARS and 774 deaths. Infections were primarily through person-to-person transmissions. No known cases of SARS have been reported since 2004.

No new cases

As you can see there have been no new cases reported since 2004 but at the time there was panic across the world. We have outstanding scientists working tirelessly to find a vaccine and people are listening to advice on how to stop the present Coronavirus from spreading.

China slowing down

It has been reported that the number of new cases in China is slowing down which is great news and gives us hope that the same will happen across the world.

Thoughts for the week

1. What is causing you stress right now?
2. Don’t spend time worrying about things you have no control over.
3. If you can’t do anything about the thing you are worrying about then let it go.
4. Focus on the things you are Grateful for to move away from stressful thoughts.
5. Being Grateful for the things you have in life will help you live a happier and healthier life.

Well that’s it for this week have a wonderful weekend and keep Believing.

Warm regards

John

Off the Wall – How to Develop World Class Mental Resilience available HERE
http://www.jdmindcoach.co.uk/product/off-the-wall-how-to-develop-world-class-mental-resilience/ (Special offer. Put in code 10POUND when prompted to receive a signed copy for £10 including postage and packing – UK only