We all know what stress feels like. If you don’t, it may be a sign that you are chronically stressed and don’t know what calm truly feels like. Many of us live on high alert all the time, and the switch seems stuck, the inner being cannot descend into deeper levels of calm, making true restoration difficult and perpetuating chronic stress. For some, relaxing feels impossible.
Even though stress affects us differently depending on our body type, we can all agree: it is unpleasant and, in fact, one of the most challenging experiences in life. Stress, panic, and anxiety rob us of quality of life, wellbeing, creativity, and joy. Yet stress can also serve as a signal, motivating us to remove the stressor or, sometimes, to strengthen our resilience.
Innate resilience is the baseline capacity we are born with, the natural strength of our mind and body. This forms the foundation upon which all other resilience is built. In Ayurveda, this is often referred to as mind-body type, which may be a combination of earth and water, fire, or wind and air. This innate foundation cannot be changed. Early experiences then shape how well we cope with challenges later.
Three major causes of Stress:
– Children who grow up with secure attachment, supportive caregivers, consistent routines, and emotional safety develop strong coping resources. Positive role models, healthy boundaries, and opportunities to explore further strengthen this layer. Unfortunately, childhood trauma, growing up during war, famine, family conflicts or grief, and other adverse events, can erode our innate resilience, making it harder to handle stress in adulthood.
– Some stress is part of life and unavoidable, major events like births, deaths, moving house, or changing jobs. These experiences shake us because they mark change and uncertainty. While we cannot prevent them, we can learn to cope, process, and recover, accepting them as part of the human experience.
– Other stress arises from the choices we make as adults. Taking on too much work, rushing through the day, or ignoring our need for rest are all examples. This type of stress is within our control, and we can reduce it by setting boundaries, prioritizing wellbeing, and making small but consistent lifestyle adjustments. This is the type of resilience we can create and nurture through our daily decisions. Poor sleep, irregular routines, constant stimulation, and neglecting self-care make us more reactive to challenges, while conscious lifestyle choices support balance and energy.
Here is a technique you may not be aware of yet: resilience can be boosted through natural lifestyle choices, including principles from Ayurveda. The way we design our lifestyle has a direct impact on our resilience; it can either strengthen it or wear it down.
– Using adaptogens and rasayanas, and balancing our natural elements earth, water, fire, wind, and space can enhance this capacity. To truly benefit from these tonics, the body must first release what no longer serves us. If our tissues are holding on to toxins, it becomes difficult to absorb their benefits. A gentle detox or cleanse before beginning a regimen of resilience-boosting tonics is usually advised, as recommended in Ayurveda. These supplements should be incorporated into a holistic stress-reducing and resilience-increasing lifestyle, where removing the cause of stress and supporting detoxification is the first line of action.
Adaptogens are natural substances, typically herbs or plant extracts, that help the body adapt to stress and restore balance. They support resistance to physical, emotional, and environmental stressors, improve energy, and promote overall resilience without overstimulating or sedating the system. Rasayanas are a concept from Ayurveda, referring to herbs, foods, or formulations that promote long-term health, vitality, and longevity. They enhance immunity, mental clarity, and overall wellbeing, supporting the rejuvenation of body tissues (dhatus) and optimizing physiological functions. Adaptogens can be considered a subset of rasayanas, but rasayanas also include tonics and dietary approaches that nourish and restore the body over time.
Everybody comes with a certain ability to handle stress, shaped by their innate constitution, childhood experiences, and a lifetime of accumulated challenges or coping patterns. While the past cannot be changed, and some stressors in life are unavoidable, there are no pharmaceutical actions, rotted in nature, we can take today to reduce stress, strengthen our resilience, and better prepare ourselves for future challenges.
