Pressure is a funny thing.It can make us stronger, like a diamond.Or it can break us down, like broken glass.The key is time and perspective.Anything under pressure for an extended period of time will break.Yet shorter exposure to pressure actually helps us to grow.And a great deal of what happens to us has to do with our internal story.Is this a bad thing happening to us?Or is it a necessary force to help us achieve something.We all respond to pressure differently.We all have different stories around pressure.Some people thrive under pressure.Some people just cave in and collapse.When we can examine what our pressure story is we can better deal with it.A lot of it also has to do with our basic operating system.Do we believe life is out to get us?Do we believe life is here for us?Do we believe things always work out for us?Do we believe we never get a break?All of these hidden thought patterns affect how we respond to the normal pressures of life.They also dictate how we respond to extraordinary pressure of an unexpected event.Do we take it as an opportunity to grow?Or do we view it as another annoyance?How we bring ourselves into the situation is key.Are we curious and excited?Do we have foreboding and dred?Pressure pushes us forward in many ways.As long as we feel the pressure is not out to destroy us.We all have pressure in our lives.We can't escape it.Yet we can learn to view it in ways that support us.It is all up to us.Change the story around pressure and you change your life.

~ Sam Liebowitz, The Conscious Consultant