How Awareness And Connection Relieve Stress and Restore Well-Being

Take a moment right now and check in with yourself. How’s your breathing? Where are you holding tension? 

If you’re like 75% of Americans who regularly experience physical symptoms from stress, you might notice your shoulders creeping up toward your ears, furrowed brows, or a knot in your stomach.

Here’s the thing about stress — it’s not just in your head. 

“Stress appears when a person loses their own balance,” explains wellness expert and TaskHuman Coach Silvina Paula. 

Let that sink in for a moment.

In our rush to meet deadlines, manage family obligations, and doom-scroll through social media feeds, we’ve lost touch with our natural state of balance. 

The numbers tell a stark story: 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress (Source: SingleCare). The good news is that you already have everything you need to reclaim your balance.

This guide will share game-changing insights that blend ancient wisdom with modern science so you can better understand your response(s) to stress.

Ready to embrace awareness and transform your relationship with stress? Your journey back to balance starts here.

After engaging with this foundational article, learn about tools for stress and how to implement a toolkit to conquer daily life. This three-part series will help you understand the origins of stress, self-care tools for addressing stress, and an action plan for incorporating these tools into your routine.

What Happens When You’re Stressed (The Science Of Balance)

Millions of years of evolution have designed the human body to thrive — to move, be active, and be capable. To adapt to whatever comes our way. It’s why we’ve survived so long.

When things are in harmony, there’s a levity and sense of fulfillment that makes you feel on top of the world.

However, when things get thrown off balance — like an off-key instrument — it stands out, and your whole performance gets wonky.

The stress-balance connection

“It is said the organism works properly when it is under homeostasis,” Coach Silvina explains. “When we aren’t aware of our main needs, we are under stress. The thing is to integrate inside.” 

Think of homeostasis as your body’s version of a thermostat. When things get out of whack:

• Your cortisol levels spike (up 300% in some cases)

• Your heart rate increases

• Your digestive system slows down

• Your immune system takes a hit (explaining why you often get sick during stressful periods)

When you feel tight, heavy, and drained, these are signs within your body that something isn’t right. It’s not natural to have aches, pains, stiffness, and feel persistently down day to day.

What’s the survival benefit of that?

These are signs your body is telling you that something’s wrong and needs attention. The problem is that we’ve become accustomed to these feelings, thinking it’s just the way of modern life.

The hidden language of stress

“The feelings may be held inside,” Coach Silvina notes. “The important thing is to recognize our needs and our feelings.” Your body’s trying to tell you something through:

• That tension headache

• The knot in your stomach

• Those racing thoughts at 3 AM

• That sudden irritability with your colleague

And if you usually ignore these signs, you’re not alone: research shows that 81% of people underestimate the impact of stress on their physical health, with symptoms including headache, tiredness, nervousness, anxiety, and depression or sadness (Source: American Psychological Association). 

Whether you’re attuned to it or not, your body is keeping track of your stress. Think of your body like a bank account, or a battery. You have a certain balance or energy level, and everything you do has a cost. Unfortunately, while you may spend energy with loved ones or at work, every stressor also causes a withdrawal. 

Think;

• Work pressure
• Relationship challenges
• Financial concerns
• Health issues

But here’s the key – awareness and connection make deposits:

• Mindful moments
• Social support
• Physical movement
• Nature connection

Understanding this dance between stress and balance is essential for your well-being. As Coach Silvina emphasizes, “We need to attend to what is most important and most necessary as a way to achieve homeostasis.”

How To Wake Up To Wellness: Your Awareness Journey

Now that we understand the problem, let’s start talking about how to fix it: awareness.

Without awareness of the individual issues and stressors you’re facing, it’s difficult to make any mindful, positive changes.

Good awareness can show you exactly where you are and what you need. 

The power of paying attention: Your awareness toolkit

“Pay attention. Be aware,” Coach Silvina emphasizes. “When you wake up, during the day, before you go to bed, be aware of your thinking and breathing.” 

So, how do you do it?

Here’s a practical approach to building awareness:

Morning Check-In

• Notice your first thoughts
• Scan your body for tension
• Rate your energy level (1-10)

Daytime Awareness Anchors

• Set phone reminders for quick body scans
• Use transition moments (elevator rides, coffee breaks) for mini check-ins
• Track your stress triggers with a journal or app

Evening Reflection

Coach Silvina recommends: “Write down how you feel from day to day, at different points in the day.” Try tracking:

• Energy levels
• Stress triggers
• Physical sensations
• Emotional states

With regular practice, even if you just start for a couple of days, you’ll begin to create a kind of “Awareness-Action Loop.”

Awareness without action is like having a smoke alarm with no fire extinguisher. When you notice stress signals:

• Acknowledge the feeling
• Identify the source
• Choose a response (not a reaction)
• Take intentional action

Pro tip: Create your personal stress dictionary. What does your stress feel like? Where do you feel it? Getting specific helps you catch stress earlier when it’s easier to manage.

How to make your awareness habit stick

Studies show it takes about 66 days to form a new habit. Start small:

• Set three daily awareness checkpoints
• Use existing habits as triggers (like checking awareness every time you check your phone)
• Keep a simple log of insights
• Celebrate small wins in awareness

Remember: You can’t change what you don’t notice. Silvina says, “We need to be aware of our emotions… it’s okay to be angry, but we need to be aware of the moment we are angry about how we manage it.”

Related Reading: Finding Balance: Your Body’s Built-In Stress Relief & When The Going Gets Tough: Your Real-World Guide To Stress Management

Wrapping Up

We’ve journeyed through the science of stress and introduced the concept of cultivating awareness. Remember these key takeaways:

• Balance is your birthright. Your body and mind naturally seek equilibrium.

• Awareness is your superpower. Tune in, listen, and understand your stress signals.

For many of us, we’re driving through life with our mindful GPS on mute. Let’s change that. This isn’t about eliminating stress completely – it’s about becoming stress-wise. 

Book a 1:1 session today and embark on your self-awareness journey toward greater stress management and well-being.

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