“Every day brings a choice: to practice stress or to practice peace.” ~ Joan Borysenko

For a long time, I believed I could handle almost any amount of pressure.

In my twenties, I was someone who seemed to thrive under stress. I would study late into the night before an examination, sometimes surviving on just two hours of sleep, and still manage to perform well. I took pride in my ability to push through exhaustion, meet expectations, and accomplish what needed to be done.

What I didn’t understand then was that being able to function under stress is not the same as being unaffected by it.

Our minds can become remarkably skilled at overriding the body’s signals. We learn to keep going, even when something within us is quietly asking us to slow down.

It wasn’t until about a year after my daughter was born that I began to recognise the cumulative impact of prolonged stress. Persistent migraines, lower back pain, dark circles under my eyes, and increasing forgetfulness became part of my everyday experience.

When my medical tests came back normal, I found myself reflecting more deeply on what was happening. I realised that although I had been taking care of my responsibilities, I had gradually stopped taking care of myself. I had become so accustomed to carrying pressure that I had forgotten what it felt like to live without it.

Becoming aware of this was a turning point. I knew I needed to reclaim my well-being, not just for myself, but also for the little person who depended on me.

We can approach stress as an invitation to examine our inner world. Sometimes, beneath our busyness and constant striving, there are unmet emotional needs, unacknowledged fears, blurred boundaries, unresolved experiences, or a deep longing to feel safe and supported.

Maybe stress is not always asking us to do more. Maybe it is asking us to become more conscious of how we are living.

When we begin to listen to the relationship between our thoughts, emotions, body and inner needs, we create space for meaningful healing.

Here are ten gentle signs that you may be experiencing stress, along with some reflections and practices to help you reconnect with yourself: