Today we have a guest post from Jodi Krizer Graber about managing stress in your life. Jodi has geared it specifically toward dancers (she has a dance background), offering some advice on how to feel less overwhelmed when the pressure is on…

by Jodi Krizer Graber

Overwhelmed – just writing the word makes me anxious. How does it make you feel? Do you live in a state of being overwhelmed? If so, you are not alone. 64% of Americans say they are taking steps to reduce stress in their lives and, according to the World Health Organization, an estimated 121 million people world-wide currently suffer from depression.

Think about some of the technology we have now: ATM machines, television with hundreds of channels, DVR, cell phones, digital voicemail, and, of course, the internet/email. All of this is supposed to make our lives easier, and in many ways it does. But, in other ways, all of this technology adds to our to-do list, often leading to feelings of worry, stress, anxiety and depression.

A key to overcoming overload is to take 100% responsibility for your life.  That is not to say that being overwhelmed is “your fault,” but it does mean that you are the only person who can get yourself out of it. “Take 100% Responsibility For Your Life” is the first chapter in Jack Canfield’s (co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series) national bestseller, The Success Principles. Why? Because it is the foundation upon which you can build the life you want.

Ted Shawn said, “Dance is the only art wherein we ourselves are the stuff in which it is made.” Combine this mantra with Jack Canfield’s declaration, and you’ve got a lot of pressure hanging over your head, and that can be quite overwhelming. It’s a lot of pressure. It’s up to YOU.

And you can manage it all. [Read more…]