Stress is a silent killer @jaynie... just my opinion.

This is an awesome post and I'm just going to resteem it, in place of stressing over a very similar post I had been working on (OK, that was just a half-joke...)

But why do we end up in those stress places? "Stories," right? Stories we tell ourselves about what we "must" and "have to" do in order to have something in our worlds. And the stories are mostly lies because they aren't actually our own stories; they are cultural and societal hand-me-downs we've convinced ourselves are true.

"When I have XYZ-- or I have accomplished XYZ-- then things will be better!" we tell ourselves.

There's nothing wrong with having goals and stuff... that's not the point. The point is that "if only" thinking removes us from the present moment and puts our thoughts out somewhere in the future... and starts the worry about everything that must happen before that future arrives. Meanwhile, all our bandwidth is "out there" somewhere, and we forget just how absolutely awesome and perfect it is to just sit on the back porch for an hour, watching the sun paint a masterpiece with clouds as it sinks below the horizon.

We give "money" too much power... we forget that it is merely a "thing" that allows us a moment of respite. Frankly, I enjoy the hell out of going back to Denmark for a 3-week visit now and then, but all told it's a $5K trip and if I start the thought platform that I "must" do it because it is SO much better than taking a camping trip on the coast here? The "stress clock" starts. The joy gets sucked right out of life.

For me, that's where the Buddhist "non-attachment" comes in. It's OK to want and wish and plan and hope... but letting go of the idea that something "must" happen also releases me from stress.

Sorry, I ended up blogging on your blog!