Stress vs. Conscious Choice

A number of opportunities arose the last few days for me notice how easily we get caught up in believing we "have to" do something. I have a strong commitment to making conscious choices and thinking a little more "out of the box”.
On Monday I was at a workshop on Heartmath and the instructor was talking about stress and how it was inevitable. And while I do realize that some stress is inevitable I also know on a very deep level that a lot of stress is caused by beliefs, expectations or habits that may no longer be serving us.
There are many choices I make in my day that either add to or diminish my stress. Some are bigger choices i.e. how many activities do I want to cart my children to, how many clients do I want to fit into one day, how many commitments do I choose to have after my children are home from school---and others are small choices-- not answering the phone during dinner, not answering the phone just because it rings, sitting down at my table to eat a healthy lunch, taking a 5 minute break... You get the picture.
What I'm saying is a lot of stress is really about choice!! We use the words "have to" much to often. There are few if any “have to do’s” in the words of Marshall Rosenberg. I’m wondering, how often do you look outside of yourself for the answers? What are your coworkers, neighbors, friends and relatives doing, eating, or stressing about? It seems to me it's become the norm, and a badge of honor, to be stressed.
You can choose to create a life with less stress. It does take a commitment to become more conscious, pay attention to your feelings and needs and get to know your own personal values.
I can share from my own experience and that of many of my clients, to make conscious choices is empowering, exhilarating, and ultimately very freeing!