Follow The Zebra

In the book "Zebras Don't Get Ulcers," the typical zebra day is described as tedium punctuated by very anxious moments. One moment the zebra is hanging out with his buddies, eating grass, and gossiping about the wildebeest, and the next moment a ferocious lion is breaking up the party. The zebra reacts, physiologically speaking, like the rest of us might. His heart rate quickens, his system is flooded with adrenaline and cortisol, and he runs away. But an interesting thing happens once the zebra has reached safety: all of his physiological stress responses diminish and the zebra returns back to his normal business-as-usual attitude. Unfortunately humans - because of our unique ability to predict the future and remember the past - are not always so resilient.

We have greater capacity for chronic stress. It increases risk of stroke and heart disease. It directly triggers heart attacks.

Fortunately, most of us live in a society where we're safe from lions. We can afford to forget the terrors and stresses of the past. If we can just do it!