Week 2: Progress

Change is progress and progress can be stressful. We tend to think that only bad change is stressful, but that’s a common misconception. Sometimes, even the good life changes we go through can be stressful, like graduations, weddings and even the birth of children. Happy events — just like bad ones — are packed with stress, but we often forget that thanks to the joy of their resolution.

Stress is just the human body’s reaction to change. We feel stress when we adventure to new places, begin a new relationship or even start the dream career we’ve been working toward our whole lives. Being new or trying something different can make you feel pressed, but it can also make you feel indescribably happy when you discover something that reconnects you with the meaningful things in life.

It’s okay to feel stressed, even when something good is happening. What’s important is to develop the tools you need to deal with that stress, like mindful journaling, reaching out to a mental health professional, or reaching out to friends and family who see the good things coming to you on the horizon.

Denial is a powerful force that can protect us in many ways, but it’s also a damaging force and one that leaves us stuck and fighting a battle we can never hope to win. Let go of your need to be in control and embrace the fact that the only thing in this world that will never go away is change. Everything is impermanent, even us.