Today so much of our lives
are spent in the office. The corporate jungle takes an unimaginable toll on the
heart. The endless deadlines, the deadly competitiveness, going from one crisis
to another, negatively impact the body. Nature’s ultimate survival mechanism of
fight or flight becomes a chronic response. Such a response is like using an
atom bomb to kill an ant—totally inappropriate. Due to the modern urge to
change jobs rapidly, many executives find themselves in threatening
environments surrounded by potential enemies. They have had no time to develop
friends or trusted supports. Every day they walk into the modern equivalent of
a jungle infested with wild animals and danger. Family support systems are far
away. Nuclear families build up explosive pressure due to a revolution of
rising expectations, fuelled by the media.
Many of us spend most of
our time at work. If we do not enjoy our work, if we feel overwhelmed by it, it
will surely damage us. The constant pressure of negative emotions causes
inescapable damage to our arteries and other delicate tissues. It also slows
down the body’s capacity to repair this damage. Politics can make the blood
boil with suppressed rage and unexpressed anxiety. ‘Fast tracking,’ being a
corporate star, will extract the inevitable price of damage to arteries if you
are not ‘mindful’, if you are not aware of the impact of everything you do on
your system. Mindfulness will help you unclench and relax the muscles, slow
down the racing heartbeat. You can start by consciously breathing slowly and
calmly.
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