Stressed Ouch!

Did you know...according to the Franklin Institute webpage on stress 'the term "stress" is short for distress, a word evolved from Latin that means "to draw or pull apart." The Romans even used the term districtia to describe "a being torn asunder." '

Wikipedia also suggests, 'It is a form of the Middle English destresse, derived via Old French from the Latin stringere, to draw tight.'

Isn't interesting that when we use the word 'stress' so loosely, actually we are describing being pulled tight or pulled apart, that is such a powerful image.

To think that emotionally, spiritually, however you want to think of it, this is what is happening to us when we are stressed. Imagine if this was physically visible, how scary it would be to see that happening to our bodies, yet that is the result of extended periods of stress.

It is really important to make time to de-stress, relax and reconnect with ourselves. That expression, 'unwind' seems really appropriate and relevant when we think of stress as a visual image of being pulled all out of shape, twisted and torn apart. Ouch! I think I'm going to do an hour of yoga now!