When we exercise, receive a massage, or see our doctor we may hear, “Drink plenty of fluids,” or “Keep yourself hydrated.”  

Try an experiment.  Take a glass of water and hold it at arm’s length.  While holding the glass, consider this, how much does it weigh?  Depending on the weight and size of the glass, it can weight from perhaps eight to twenty-four or more ounces.  (Still holding the glass?)  Here’s a fact, regardless of the absolute weight, it will become “heavier” the longer you hold on to it.

Holding the glass for a few seconds, no big deal; but after only a few minutes, the glass begins to wear on you causing stress in muscles.  After several minutes, you may begin to feel an ache in your arm right up to your shoulder.  If you held it for an hour, you may develop a headache or exhibit some other form of exhaustion, but you would know the cause.  Holding on to the glass of water causes pain and discomfort.  Just put it down for relief.

Holding on to a simple, and potentially refreshing, glass of water has caused your body and muscles to stress to the point of debilitation.  The level of discomfort is directly proportional to the time span we hold on to the glass of water.   The longer we hold on to it the more discomfort it causes and that’s the way stress affects our lives.

We know a little stress keeps us sharp, but too much can cause us to snap just like a guitar string, not stretched enough, the string sounds dull and raspy, too much and it becomes irritating with a potential of breaking.  If stretched enough, it turns out a great sound.  Stress is also subjective because we all handle stress differently, but too much is just like the glass of water or the guitar string, too much will eventually have a negative affect on us physically, mentally, or emotionally.  Just like you know when to stop holding on to your water glass, stop holding your stress before you break.

As for positive stress, identify the right amount of stress for you that creates refreshment and pleasant music in your daily life. Utilizing and transforming stress can make you more productive and less self-destructive.  Like so many other factors of life, utilizing the proper amount of stress is all about balance.  Know when to stretch and when to loosen to create your personal sense of bliss.

There are many ways to relieve stress.  Pick one that works for you, but most important relieve your stress daily.  Some ways to loosen up and relieve and transform stress include regular exercise, massage, walking, meditation, playing music, reading, or just sitting in comfortable shady spot with a cool refreshing glass of water.

Next time you pick up a glass of water, ask yourself, “Am I holding on to any unnecessary stress?”