The Tribune

By MICHELLE MILLER

STRESS left unchecked taxes our emotional and physical well-being.

Whether you believe it or not, we are each paying a hefty stress tax as unmanaged stress produces enormous cost to our personal and business well-being.

When you calculate the accumulative cost of – absenteeism, reduced productivity, insurance cost, anxiety, depression, heart disease and many other illnesses associated with unfettered stress, we see that it is colossal.

In one-way shape or form we are definitely paying a stress tax. Unfortunately, this tax has the potential of becoming even more burdensome as more people neglect the need to address their stress.

Some say that majority of folk have a tendency to be more reactive rather than proactive. This may have some truth, however, the goal of life coaching is to help you not to focus so much on the problems but focus more on the possibility of solving the problem. And when it comes to our health and wellness, I believe we can in fact adopt an innovative, more proactive approach.

Let’s be mindful that life is not a stress rehearsal.

Still, many are hellbent on waiting for the neon signs of stress to show up before they address their coping skills.

Today, let’s make an internal shift towards owning your life and maintaining your state of well-being. It’s too easy to simply about life-challenges without acknowledging your responsibility for managing yourself.

Consider this – statistics estimate that stress-related issues of low productivity, absenteeism, work-related accidents, and increased insurance, costs US companies a whopping $300 billion annually.

Further, research suggests that 80 per cent of all illnesses are believed to be stress-related. Such startling statistics ought to strike a major cord with health care providers, insurance executives and business professionals everywhere to develop adequate proactive wellness solutions that enable employees to effectively deal with the fundamental issues of stress.

The key questions to ponder is – what is stress costing you and or your business? An even better question is what is stress collectively costing us as a country?

Understand that stress in and of itself is unavoidable. It’s the body’s naturally response to the pressures and challenges of life.

However, negative stress, which is called ‘distress’, negatively impacts us on the cellular level.

If it is not addressed it will eventually break the cells down; becoming the gateway to illness.

Ultimately, stress is really about your attitude and capacity to manage yourself. The better you are at managing yourself, the better you are at managing your stress.

Transitioning from illness to wellness is possible by taking proactive steps towards addressing your stress tax. Bear in mind that in a rapidly changing environment, stress is not going anywhere. Unless you manage your stress, it will surely manage you.

Leader to leader remember, it’s never what happens but how you deal with what happens that matters most.

Today, commit to reducing your personal stress tax through better self-management strategies. It’s a surefire way to live the life you love.

• What do you think? Please send your comments to coaching242@yahoo.com or 429-6770, or snail mail to PO Box CB-13060. You can also visit www.michellemmiller.com.