Change can be stressful, even when the change is a positive and welcome one. Whether you are navigating through some big life transitions such as getting married or retiring, or moving through a smaller change, you can benefit by practicing relaxation techniques to offset the inevitable stress.
For example, when I was a 15, my mom and I were in the midst of two of women’s most colossal transitions: menopause and puberty. Mom turned to yoga, and she brought me right along with her. My teenage self was skeptical. Even so, this early experience with yoga made a powerful and lasting impression, and helped reduce our stress levels.
Stress is a normal response to change. A perceived threat, challenge, or even something exciting can elicit a stress response. This causes a cascade of hormonal and physiological reactions that make you alert, focused, and careful. You may experience shifts through your whole being on physical, mental, and emotional levels.
