Life is about growth, balance, and passion. Life is supposed to be lived peacefully and joyfully. Alas! How often we are stuck in the stresses and strains, losing ourselves completely in the maze of life…too often. Stress hinders growth, leads to imbalance and breeds dispassion. So, it is very important that we prevent stress and burnout.

Most people think that it’s very difficult to lead a stress-free life. Truth be known, it is quite the opposite. It is very difficult to lead a stressful life. What a paradox! There are simple things one can do to nurture peace and joy in life.

Many years ago, I accidentally stumbled upon certain principles and techniques that helped me calm down in the midst of chaos and take control of my life situation. Eventually, that paved a pathway to a successful career and a happy life.

As a physician, every day I see many patients who suffer from stress-related diseases. Stress is associated with the 5 leading causes of death – heart disease, cancer, lung disease, cirrhosis, and accidents. In fact, stress is the foundation for many chronic diseases, and 80% of our health care costs stem from the burden of chronic diseases. So, it’s obvious that if one can prevent stress and promote wellness, not only will health and happiness be their grand prizes to claim, but it will also save them a lot of money!

So, what can we do to lead a stress-free life? The first step starts with the understanding that stress is created from within and acknowledging that we can do something about it. We have a fair degree of control over our destiny and it is well within our power to make choices that promote our mental well-being.

The central truth that helps you dissolve all the stress, puts you at ease with yourself, and helps you find peace and joy in your life is that ‘all stress is an illusion that is created through your own insecure thoughts.’ When you realize that truth, you automatically will become stress-free.

Let us say you dreamed that a tiger has attacked you during sleep and you scream out of fear. But the moment you wake up and open your eyes, the dream, as well as the tiger, vanishes and with a sigh of relief you realize that it is not real. The same applies when you realize that you are creating your own stress by misuse of your own thinking; you will suddenly realize that all stress is an illusion. With a sigh of relief, you realize that it is not real and stress suddenly disappears. You will feel a sense of peace, joy and security.

That is what happened to me when I realized this central truth. I hope to help you see the same truth that I saw so that you can lead a stress-free life as well!

Dr. Kiran is a physician and stress management expert and can be reached at [email protected]. (860) 375.0446. For more on how to live with less stress and more joy, please visit www.StressFreeRevolution.com.