The Child Analogy: Living in the Now
Think back to when you were a child. When you fell off your bike, you cried, got up, and tried again. You weren’t replaying yesterday’s fall in your head, nor were you worrying about tomorrow’s. Children have a superpower: they live in the present moment. They don’t cling to the past or catastrophize the future. But as adults? We hold on to bad experiences from the past (“Last time I messed up that presentation”) and project them into the future (“What if it happens again?”). This creates a cycle of stress before the real moment even arrives.
Fact: Research shows that rumination — repeatedly thinking about negative experiences, is strongly linked to higher stress and anxiety.
The Science of Stress
Stress activates the amygdala, your brain’s alarm system. This triggers a cortisol release (your stress hormone). In short bursts, cortisol is helpful, it gives you energy and focus. But when the amygdala stays switched on, cortisol floods your system. That’s when you get chronic stress: fatigue, irritability, and eventually burnout.
Fact: Studies show workplace burnout costs the global economy $322 billion annually due to lost productivity.
Techniques to Reduce Stress in Daily Life
1️⃣Breathe Like a Child
Children naturally take deep belly breaths. Adults? We forget. → Try box breathing: Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. This activates your parasympathetic nervous system, your body’s built-in “rest and restore” mode.
2️⃣ Write It Down - Let It Go
Your working memory is like your brain’s RAM. It can only hold about 7 items at once. → Offload your worries onto paper. Journaling reduces mental clutter and helps your prefrontal cortex (your logic center) take back control.
3️⃣ Reframe Stress at Work
Instead of seeing stress as a threat, see it as a signal. Tight deadline? It means your body is giving you energy to focus. Big presentation? Your brain is preparing you to rise to the challenge.
Fact: People who view stress as enhancing rather than harmful perform better at work and recover faster physically.
4️⃣ Schedule Mini-Resets
Just like children take naps and play breaks, adults need micro-resets.
→ 5 minutes of walking, stretching, or mindful breathing every 90 minutes can reduce cortisol and sharpen focus.
The Takeaway
Children remind us that life is lighter when lived in the present. Stress doesn’t come from the moment itself, it comes from dragging the past forward and borrowing worries from the future.
At SoleHues, we believe stress management is less about escape and more about alignment, resetting your nervous system, rewiring your perspective, and reclaiming your energy. Because when you own your calm, you own your crown.
