Stress Isn’t What You Think It Is

What if everything you’ve been taught about stress is backwards?Most people believe stress comes from their circumstances.The workload. The pressure. The uncertainty.

So they try to fix what’s happening around them. Better systems. Better boundaries. Better time management.

And sometimes that helps… temporarily.

But the feeling always seems to come back.

In this opening episode of Season 7 of Daily Power Boost, Shawn Michael introduces a deeper understanding. Not a new strategy or another framework. But a clearer look at where stress actually comes from.

This episode reframes stress as something created from the inside out, not imposed from the outside. And when that understanding lands, effort drops. Self-blame dissolves. And clarity begins to surface on its own.

Season 7 marks a shift away from managing life and toward understanding the source of experience itself.

In This Episode

* Why stress persists even when circumstances improve

* The common misunderstanding about where stress comes from

* How thought creates the feeling of pressure in the moment

* An introduction to the Three Principles: Mind, Consciousness, and Thought

* Why nothing is “wrong” with you when relief doesn’t last

* How clarity naturally appears when thinking settles

✦ Reflection Prompts

* Where am I assuming my stress is being caused by circumstances?

* What am I trying to manage or fix in order to feel better?

* When stress shows up, what am I actually thinking in that moment?

* What shifts when I see stress as thought-created rather than situation-created?

✦ The Boost (Action Step)

Practice Simple Noticing.

The next time you feel stressed, pause.

Not to fix it.Not to change it.Just to notice.

Ask yourself:

“What am I thinking right now?”

Don’t judge the thought.Don’t correct it.Just see it.

Because the moment you notice that stress is coming from thought, not circumstances, something begins to loosen. And that insight is where real change starts.

✦ On the Next Episode

The Illusion of Urgency — Why Everything Feels Like an Emergency (And How to See Through It)

We’ll explore why urgency feels so real, how it’s created in the moment, and what becomes possible when you stop letting pressure make decisions for you.

✦ If Today’s Episode Sparked Something…

* Share it with someone who feels pressure to manage everything perfectly

* Subscribe to Daily Power Boost for clarity-driven conversations on leadership and life

* Book a No-Cost Identity Clarity Call

✦ Engage With Me Online

* Instagram: @coachshawnmichael

* TikTok: @coachshawnmichael

* YouTube: @coachshawnmichael

* LinkedIn: @coachinguatemala

✦ References & Influences

* The Three Principles – understanding how clarity and wisdom emerge when thinking settles

* Michael Neill – insights on inside-out experience and mental clarity

* Sydney Banks – foundational understanding of Mind, Consciousness, and Thought

* Contemporary leadership psychology on stress, perception, and resilience

With strength and heart,

❤️🔥 Shawn Michael

Stay close.

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