She noticed how her body spoke before her mind caught up. Long-term stress affects the nervous system by increasing cortisol, which can disrupt sleep, immunity, and emotional balance over time (McEwen 172). What she once called exhaustion, she now recognized as communication. Listening became an act of care rather than surrender.
She slowed her breath and allowed the moment to settle. Mindfulness practices have been linked to improved emotional regulation and reduced stress reactivity, especially during periods of ongoing strain (Kabat-Zinn 148). Acceptance did not weaken her. It sharpened her awareness. Strength, she learned, did not always push forward. Sometimes it paused, adjusted, and endured.
Works Cited (MLA)
Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. Revised ed., Bantam Books, 2013.
McEwen, Bruce S. “Protective and Damaging Effects of Stress Mediators.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 338, no. 3, 1998, pp. 171–179.
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