In 1939, just prior to the onset of the war in Europe, the British Ministry of Information published a series of three posters. They were to become, as one of the creators put it, "a rallying war-cry that will bring out the best in every one of us and put us in an offensive mood at once."
While the first two posters have faded into history, one is popping up everywhere:
"Keep Calm and Carry On." Re-discovered at the beginning of this century, you'll find it on tee shirts, coffee mugs, coasters and key chains. I think this little poster has a courage connection, too.
Keep Calm. If you take a closer look at keeping calm, or stress-busting, you'll find that experts agree some stress is a good thing; it keeps us on our toes. Stress management, not stress elimination, is the key. Being over-stressed is a bad thing, a courage defeating thing that can become greater than the issue that stressed us out in the first place.
When we're threatened, our bodies go on autopilot, summoning up what was needed eons ago to keep us alive in the wilderness. Powerful hormones are released, intended only for short-term duty in emergency situations. When the threat passes, different chemicals are supposed to be released to bring us back into balance.
Problem is, if we are constantly stressed, the calming hormones are never released and our bodies suffer. Cells in the brain responsible for memory and learning are injured or destroyed. Cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure crop up. The immune system is suppressed, making us more susceptible to infection and illness, and an alarming cycle begins. We can't be courageous that way. It's bad news!
A Mayo Clinic web page offers 10 idea stress-busting ideas:
get active, meditate, laugh,
connect with others, assert yourself, do yoga,
sleep, journal, get musical, seek counsel
Their best advice is, like a buffet, you don't have to stick with just one thing. If something doesn't work, try another, or do a combination. A courage-building buffet - I like it!
Carry On. Facing and fighting a challenge is a marathon, not a sprint. So is life. We have to keep things real and we do it by keeping calm. It's about recognizing what we have to live for, which will give us the courage we need to carry on. Kinda makes you wonder if His Majesty the King was really calling for his people to be courageous, doesn't it? But then he was king - what else would he ask them to do?
I therefore decree that all readers of this newsletter Keep Calm and Carry On - a.k.a. BE COURAGEOUS!
