How do you manage stress?
In the classic Calvin and Hobbes comic strip (originally published on November 26, 1986, yes I read it in grad school), Calvin asks his unsuspecting dad how engineers know the weight limit on a bridge.
- Calvin’s question: “How do they know the load limit on bridges, Dad?”
- Dad’s fake explanation: “They drive bigger and bigger trucks over the bridge until it breaks. Then they weigh the last truck and rebuild the bridge.”
- Calvin’s reaction: “Oh. I should’ve guessed.”
- Mom’s interjection: “Dear, if you don’t know the answer,  go for a run or do something else.
This scenario is pretty much how it works. I remember walking into a chiropractor‘s office and he wouldn’t treat me because my blood pressure was too high.
I was that truck that was getting bigger and bigger. This was a person who was running 50 miles a week., qualifying for the Boston marathon and eating a vegetarian diet, (not Vegan)
And then one day I was that bridge. that collapsed from the weight of that bigger and bigger truck. And yes, the world was bit building bigger and bigger trucks.
Yes I had a heart attack.
I already had a lot of things in place that I was doing better. And my behavior didn’t change terribly all that much. Sometimes it’s just bad genetics. But the one thing I did realize as there are some things you have very little control over. There’s also some things that don’t matter all that terribly much.
KISS
Yes, keep it simple stupid. I talk about it briefly in a previous post.
I would love to hear you opinion as well