Stress in the New World

Stress is a word we use all the time and for all kinds of things. We use it when talking about emotions, psychology, physical limitations, and even physics. It covers a lot of ground! But the truth is, stress isn’t inherently bad. In fact, we need it.

To grow stronger, we must first be stretched. Muscles have to be stressed before they gain strength. The same applies to our emotional and mental muscles. But here’s the catch: growth only happens after rest. In order for the muscle to build back stronger, it requires rest.  Without it, stress turns from being productive to destructive.

So what happens when stress doesn’t stop—when there's no rest, no pause, no margin? That’s the situation many of us are facing now, in what some are calling "stress in the new world."

What Is “Stress in the New World”?

I recently heard someone use the phrase “stress in the new world.” They were talking about the heightened level of stress so many people are facing since the pandemic. This new normal feels like stress on full blast—with no off switch and no dimmer. It’s just a constant drain.

Whether it’s work or school stress, financial pressure, health concerns, relationship strain, major life changes, lack of sleep, too much caffeine, poor diet—you name it—it all contributes to this elevated state of tension. But let’s be honest: most of these things have always existed. So what’s changed?

Part of the answer is resilience—or the lack of it. Our capacity to handle stress has taken a hit. That might be due to nutritional deficiencies, mental exhaustion, or simply not having the bandwidth to think clearly. And part of it is that we’re missing the critical piece that makes stress productive: rest.

So I ask:

 Where are you finding rest?

 Where are you finding joy?

 What kind of margin do you have in your day for the unexpected?

Stress Isn’t the Enemy—Chronic Stress Is

Let’s talk about the body for a minute. Stress is actually a physiological response designed to help us survive. When we perceive a threat—whether it’s a tiger in the wild or a tight deadline at work—our adrenal glands release cortisol, the main stress hormone.

Cortisol plays a huge role in helping us respond:

• It increases blood sugar so our muscles and brain get a burst of energy

• It sharpens focus by enhancing brain function

• It suppresses non-essential systems like digestion or reproduction

• It regulates blood pressure and inflammation

So yes, stress can be good! In the short term, it sharpens us. It gives us energy and clarity. It helps us rise to a challenge or avoid danger. That’s a gift.

But our bodies aren’t intended to endure constant stress. When cortisol stays high all the time, we start to feel the effects—fatigue, anxiety, gut issues, poor sleep, a lowered immune system. The body can’t tell the difference between running from a tiger and trying to make it through a packed Tuesday.

So, What’s the Answer?

In one word? Balance.

In two words? Lifestyle change.

Yes, those can feel just as vague and overwhelming as the word “stress” itself. But balance doesn't have to be an overnight transformation. It starts with simple, everyday choices that slowly build resilience and create room to breathe again.

I heard someone say recently that it’s not your goals or dreams that shape you, but what you do every day that matters.  And I love this quote from John Maxwell:

“The greatest of all miracles is that we need not be tomorrow what we are today. The greatest of all insights is that we cannot be tomorrow what we do not do today. That is why today matters.”

So, what can you do today?

Simple Ways to Bring Back Balance

1. Put Down the Phone

Phones are amazing tools, but they’re also major time suckers. What did you use to do with your downtime? Go for a walk? Read a book? Call a friend? These moments now get swallowed by endless scrolling. You can lose an hour or two (or three) without even trying!  Put some boundaries around the tiny screen and reclaim some time.

2. Move Your Body

Movement doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Take a walk around your block. Then go two blocks. Start small and build from there. And maybe—just maybe—leave your phone at home while you go.

3. Read (bonus points if it’s not on a screen)

Read something that inspires you or just brings you joy. Learn about something new. We’re wired to keep growing intellectually. And sure, it might feel harder as we get older—but that just means we need to grease the wheels a bit.

4. Rebuild Real Friendship

Call a friend. Meet up face-to-face. Plan a “playdate” with no other goal than to enjoy one another’s company. It doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to happen.

5. Schedule Mental Health Days

When I was raising my kids, we’d occasionally take what we called “mental health days”. We’d throw the regular schedule out the window and do something spontaneous—go exploring, get into nature, stay under the covers and watch a movie. Whatever we needed, that’s what the day became. It didn’t happen very often, but when we really needed it, we took it.

6. Get Outside

There’s real science behind the benefits of being in nature. But we tend to move from house to car to work to store to home without really being outside. Make nature part of your life again. Go outside, even for a little while. It makes a difference.

7. Supplement Smartly

As you work to reframe your habits, support your body with the right tools. Supplements like Nevaton, Adrenal Complex, and Mintran can really help the body manage the stress it’s already carrying.

8. Prioritize Sleep

Sleep is where healing happens. It’s where your body restores, resets, and repairs. If you’re not sleeping well, everything gets harder. Don’t underestimate the power of a solid night’s rest.

Managing Stress for Tomorrow

Stress in this “new world” isn’t going anywhere. But that doesn’t mean we have to live in survival mode forever. It’s not about eliminating stress altogether. It’s about creating the space we need to handle it—and grow from it.

So start small. Pick one thing today. And then do it again tomorrow.

You don’t have to stay stuck in survival mode.  You can choose balance.  You can choose rest. And you can choose to grow—stronger, wiser, and more at peace.