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LIVING LIFE ANXIETY AND STRESS FREE

Question: "Why is it so hard to live a stress free life, and will I ever be independent again? I hate my life and I'm so depressed and lost. I don't know which way to turn."

Psychic Advice:
We live in a society that is becoming increasingly stressful for everyone, with more and more pressure on a daily basis, and seemingly less time to deal with any of it. While our outer circumstances may be stressful, we still have many choices regarding how we choose to respond to that stress, and those responses will determine our outcomes and experiences.

It is possible to maintain peace in the face of stress. I believe that your depression is partly your body's way of responding to stress and trying to shield you from it. Depression often causes us to withdraw from the world and to go deep within ourselves. Although the feelings associated with depression are certainly not pleasant, perhaps that depression serves as a type of cocoon.

Most of us crave a sense of peace, but we are so unfamiliar with it that when it comes, it may feel like boredom or even depression. Simply breathing while thinking or saying the word "peace" can be infinitely helpful - this allows the body to relax and become centered, and empowers you to calmly face whatever is in front of you.

The simple act of breathing is a very key factor when it comes to stress and anxiety. Breath is essential to life, and to keeping the body functioning properly by delivering oxygen to all our vital organs, particularly the brain. We cannot survive for more than a couple of minutes without oxygen, yet most people constantly deprive themselves of it by breathing shallowly. Oxygen is the most important key to our health and wellbeing, and it is free and abundant - all we have to do is receive it and let it in.

When people experience stress or anxiety, their first tendency is to hold their breath, which creates an instant state of tension in the body, and also clouds the mind. It is in these moments that we most need to breathe slowly and deeply so we can feed our brain with oxygen, which allows us to think clearly in order to find the best strategies and approaches for dealing with our situation.

It is vitally important to keep a clear head, because the mind rules the body. Our thoughts determine our experiences in life, and our responses to our circumstances determine how we experience them. For instance, you do not have control over the weather, but you do have complete choice as to whether or not you allow the weather to influence your experience of your day. You may not have control over your external circumstances, but you always have choice as to how you respond to them, which determines how you experience them.

You have the power to choose your thoughts and responses, and those thoughts and responses will influence how you feel and how you see and experience your life. The mind is infinitely creative, and is constantly creating your experiences in life with every thought and every choice. You have the power to choose whether to feel hopeful or hopeless, whether to see the glass as half full or half empty, and whether to focus on feeling gratitude or feeling like a victim. There are always at least two perspectives in any given situation, and an infinite amount of choices, if you are willing to see them.

The mind is always looking for answers and solutions, and will work on providing answers to every question. The key to getting the best answers is to ask the right questions. Instead of asking "Will I ever be independent again?", try asking yourself, "How can I become independent again?" Your mind will immediately go to work on presenting answers. The first question is likely to trigger a sense of hopelessness or depression, but the second question will activate your mind to look for creative solutions, ideas and inspiration.

Our thoughts can either bring us down or lift us up, and our thoughts determine how stress affects us. The more we take things seriously and personally in life, the more we put ourselves in the position of feeling like a victim. The more we detach and relax, the more power we will have to deal with situations in a creative way. This gives us the space to respond to our experiences instead of simply reacting.

Buddhism states that suffering is caused by desire and attachment, and we can eliminate suffering by eliminating our desire and attachment. If we think about it, we live in a world where we are continually influenced to desire more and more, which pushes us to do more and more in order to achieve it. We often suffer in the process of trying to get what we desire, and we suffer depression when we do not have what we desire.

There are two ways to mitigate this suffering. One way is through simplifying life - let go of what is not truly important or essential, and focus your time and energy on what is most meaningful and valuable to you. We tend to scatter our energy in so many areas that we feel exhausted and dissatisfied all around, but if we focus on spending most of our time doing what is most meaningful, then each day will be more fulfilling. For some people, this may mean downsizing their wants and desires, while for others, it may simply give them the focus to achieve their goals.

The second way to minimize this suffering is through faith - faith in the infinitely abundant Universe to support you in your joy and fulfillment, and faith in yourself to allow yourself to experience that joy and fulfillment. Instead of always working so hard to strive externally, which often pushes people off their center and into fear, allow yourself to do more of what gives you joy on a daily basis, and that joy will attract more joy and fulfillment to you.

Allow yourself to simply breathe and receive. Find your peace and your center within yourself, and listen to the guidance within you. Don't let depression or negativity take you down; instead focus on peace, faith and gratitude to raise you up so you can experience the joy you truly deserve. Turn within you to find your way, and let your joy be your guide to your truth.



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"Responsibility is power. You have the power of choice.
You are always responsible for the choices you make and the actions you take."