I have been having a lot of stress with school tests lately. What do you do when you are under pressure? My schedule is packed, but I love school and I love gymnastics, so what can I do to relieve the stress I feel? What is stress really?

—Damon, at age 13,
Colorado

Dear Damon,

Stress is tension from being moved to a location inside us where we are very uncomfortable. So we think of it as a hostile place. We do not like it!

We do not like it simply because we have been stretched before we have had time to prepare our mind and emotions, at our own pace. It is like a muscle not warmed up properly before exercise: it often hurts. We hurt. We are very uncomfortable and upset.

Yet stress is a good teacher. We learn about our strengths and weaknesses.

Stress comes from having to do too much in too little time. Look at your activities, Damon. Can you cut down on some of them? Make a priority list.

It is also possible to increase our tolerance to stress via good nutrition (food and drink), reducing our overuse of electronic devices, and getting enough rest.

All easy to say; harder to do. But you can do it, Damon, if you really want to.

(from October 2012 Letter of Light)