A few months back, I found myself in a situation I hadn’t experienced in years. I felt restless, unsettled, and on the edge of something I couldn’t name. By nightfall, it turned into what I can now recognize as a mild anxiety attack.
I couldn’t sleep at all. My chest felt heavy, my heart was racing, and my mind refused to slow down. The timing couldn’t have been worse. I was in another city to lead a two-day Zumba® Instructor Training workshop. Teaching trainings was nothing new for me. In fact, I was celebrating 10 years as a Zumba® Education Specialist. So why did this familiar routine suddenly feel so overwhelming?
On the first day, after a sleepless night, I somehow managed to show up on time. I wasn’t feeling fresh, but once the training began, I lost myself in the flow. By the end of the day, while returning to my hotel, I paused to reflect – What exactly was different this time?
It wasn’t the training itself. I have done this hundreds of times. It wasn’t the city either. The answer lay deeper. I realized that this time, there was something off – not in the format of the training or the venue or the participants, but in the energy surrounding it. Some of the people I was working with had a way of communicating that felt unclear, political, and, at times, resistant to true collaboration. The work was happening, yes, but not in alignment with my core values of openness, honesty, and wholehearted collaboration. And that’s when it hit me, I wasn’t fully happy with what I was doing, because I wasn’t doing it with my full heart, somehow I couldn’t authentically connect to that surrounding energy.
That evening brought me an unexpected moment of gratitude. I realized how deeply my mind and heart are connected to my work. For me, Zumba® has never been just about movement – it has always been about joy, authenticity, and connection. When my values are in sync, my work flows effortlessly. But the moment I feel misaligned, my body and mind respond instantly – sometimes even with physical stress symptoms. And here’s the irony – I have been doing cardiovascular workouts like Zumba® for over 15 years, yet when my heart and mind were not aligned, it almost felt like a mini heart attack.
That experience gave me the clearest understanding of what stress really is. We often read definitions from psychologists, coaches, or even a quick Google search. But here’s my version, drawn from lived experience – Stress is what happens when we continue doing something that goes against our will, values, or principles – just because we think it’s “practically necessary.” When we silence our inner voice and force ourselves through, stress eventually finds us and it doesn’t knock politely.
That workshop was a turning point for me. It reminded me to honor alignment in every area of my life and work. Because when my heart, mind, and values are in harmony, not only am I healthier, but the results I create are far more impactful too. And maybe that’s a reminder for all of us – Do more of what makes your soul happy, and less of what feels like resistance.
You might be thinking, “Well, it’s not always possible to work in surroundings that perfectly align with our energy.” And you are absolutely right, my friend. That’s exactly what my next blog will dive into – understanding stress and learning how to process it in our own unique way. It’s not about avoiding stress entirely, but about noticing it, feeling it, and yet not letting it take control. The key lies in being mindful and deeply aware of ourselves.
But my story doesn’t end there. As life would have it, I soon found myself facing a similar situation again. This time, however, I chose to approach it differently. I put real thought and effort into planning the kind of surroundings and people I wanted to work with, those who allow me to give my wholehearted best. I even made peace with the idea of letting go of certain opportunities if they required me to compromise and work in energies that felt draining, what I call dark energy, because such environments only bring out the worst in me. And you know what? It worked. I created space for collaborations that felt aligned, open, and genuine. The result? A sense of happiness, contentment, and the freedom to give my full potential, without wasting energy on politics, resistance, or unnecessary drama.
With as mindfully as possible, I accept the fact that we cannot always control situations to match our preferences. Sometimes, life places us in circumstances simply to teach us lessons we haven’t yet learned, even if we have faced similar scenarios before. That said, we can’t ignore the real reason stress builds up in our fast-paced lives. While countless situations can contribute to our stress levels, the core cause often lies in this – we end up doing things that are misaligned with our true purpose. Our life’s purpose is deeply connected to our potential and our unique skills. When these aren’t fully expressed or honored, misalignment takes root and misalignment eventually grows into stress.
Of course, we often try to manage this stress superficially. My way is through exercise, which floods our bodies with endorphins and dopamine. For a while, these “feel-good” chemicals replace cortisol, the stress hormone, and we feel alive again. But unless we address the deeper misalignment, the cycle continues. Exercise, movement, or mindfulness practices may ease the pressure for a while, but the deeper peace begins when we stop forcing ourselves into misaligned situations.
For me, the biggest realization was this – I don’t just want temporary relief from stress, I want lasting freedom. And that freedom comes only when my heart and mind are in agreement – when I live and work in alignment with my values, my energy, and my true purpose. Because when they finally agree, stress no longer controls us – we step into a life of clarity, contentment, and true freedom.
So, I invite you to pause and reflect – Where in your life are your heart and mind not fully aligned? Do you truly know the values and principles that guide your everyday choices – both at work and in your personal life? And most importantly, what is the one thing you do daily – not weekly, not monthly, but every single day – that brings you joy, peace, or contentment? It could be a hobby, a small ritual, or simply something that makes you feel whole.
It took me a while to reach my own “aha moment” – to truly understand what stress means and how its intensity can be reduced. The truth is, we are all travelling through a world full of expectations and pressures, often at a pace that feels impossible to match. Yet, living in alignment with our values makes all the difference. Here are some practices that have worked for me, and for many of my coaching clients who are on their own journey of reducing stress and creating a more values-aligned life:
– Mindful Square Breathing Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and focus on slow, deep breaths. Inhale – hold – exhale – hold. As if you are completing a square pattern. Repeat. This signals safety to your nervous system, grounds you in the present moment and reduces cortisol. – Movement Breaks Put on your favorite music that uplifts you and just move freely for a few minutes. Physical movement instantly shifts stagnant stress energy. – Journaling for Emotional Regulation Write down – What is stressing me right now? Is this aligned with my values? What small change can I make today? Awareness creates clarity. – Nature Reset Step outside, walk barefoot on grass, or simply sit or stand under a tree or in city life just look outside the window, watch the sky or stand on your terrace to breathe slowly. Even 10 minutes in nature helps lower blood pressure and calm the mind. I often decide to walk for 20 to 40 minutes after my dinner time so my mind is a bit relaxed before going to bed, ready for a sound sleep. – Gratitude Way List 3 things you are grateful for right now. Gratitude always shifts your perspective from what feels heavy to what feels nourishing. – Digital Detox my version Switch off all notifications for 15 minutes. Use that time to breathe, stretch, or just be still. You will notice how quickly your nervous system settles and your reactions become your mindful responses.
Lastly, I invite you to choose not to settle for stress as ‘normal.’ Instead, listen to your heart, honor your mind, and give yourself the chance to experience what true freedom feels like – where both are finally in agreement.
