“Negative thoughts stick around because we believe them, not because we want them or choose them.”
“The number of stressors has multiplied exponentially: traffic, money, success, work/life balance, the economy, the environment, parenting, family conflict, relationships, disease. As the nature of human life has become far more complicated, our ancient stress response hasn't been able to keep up.”
“Stress is the negative whirlwind of emotions that gets imposed on top of our stimulation and engagement.”
“Remember that stress doesn't come from what's going on in your life. It comes from your thoughts about what's going on in your life.”
“The truth is that stress doesn't come from your boss, your kids, your spouse, traffic jams, health challenges, or other circumstances. It comes from your thoughts about these circumstances.”
“If you're successful and stressed out, you're succeeding in spite of your stress, not because of it.”
“We all enjoy pushing ourselves to accomplish our objectives. But we don't need stress to get there.”
“When a friend is sick, I see the situation for what it is, not what it isn't, and I offer to help as much as she wants, not as much as I want.”
“During the financial crisis, I worked with hundreds of executives who struggled as a result of their thoughts about job security. When their beliefs changed, so did their emotional experience - and they were then able to focus on the task at hand more effectively.”
“The less you think counterfactually, the less you experience stress. Stress, in this light, isn't a bad thing. It's simply a warning system telling you that your mind has lost touch with what's real.”