I have been observing myself, my colleagues and my friends over the last while and am noticing how close to the edge we all seem to be managing at. One little thing tip us over, one small aggravation gets on our very last nerve and a change in the plan crashes everything. Up goes the hands, down goes the head and for me there is often an expletive – or two.

Everyone knows about big stress and what it  does to our bodies. The pump of adrenaline, the flood of cortisol all getting us to fight, flight or freeze mode. Your body also adapts after the big stress response to allow you to recover and return to “normal operating mode.” Micro-stress is different in that your body does not register it in a way that activates a response and a recovery and therefore your body and brain are not protected in the same way. This means that the reality of cumulative micro-stressors is often much harder on you than we give credit or allowances for.

So, pay attention to the little things you and others are dealing with in life and offer a little more grace to yourself and others as an antidote to micro-stress.