Stress: Fight or Flight?

We never know what life has in store for us; at one moment, you could be a high flyer without a care in the world and at the next, you could be faced with a life-changing trauma, your world could be turned upside down, with the possibility of losing everything your life has been built upon.

Although we all have an inbuilt sense that we should be able to cope, it is not until we are faced with certain challenging life situations that we truly know the reality of fight or flight and how we will truly react.

Is it possible to prepare yourself for such situations?

For me, regular running and jogging gives me a clearer mind, stamina, determination and endurance to carry on even when I hit the wall and things get tough.

Even the most basic of running tasks transfer into skills that can help massively when combatting adverse circumstances. Learning to breathe, slowing down or speeding up, setting yourself realistic, achievable goals, yet still knowing your limitations and being able to admit that you need help when you fall.

Through participating in charity runs, I have developed a skill that I personally find vital in both my professional and personal life; endurance.

Endurance to carry on when others think that you are out of your depth, learning how to pace yourself around the course until you see that finish line – the light at the end of the tunnel! – then from nowhere that sudden surge of energy carries you forward.

The sense of achievement is almost always an exhilarating experience that you will never forget and will carry around with you forever.

Small steps that keep you on track can help when you need it most and this can be from any activity that helps you stay focused, clear-headed, active, and organised. It’s up to us to discover just what it is that we enjoy, what it is that we excel at and what it is that can teach us how to unleash what’s hidden within!