One day I had an epiphany. I clearly saw the blueprint to happiness in my mind and quickly wrote it down on a scrap of paper. It seemed so simple, yet it took me my whole life to think of it. I had been dealing with chronic stress for many years, not realizing my body was perceiving this stress as an external threat triggering my fight or flight response. I didn't know why at the time, I felt anxious, angry, depressed, lonely, and acting impulsively; lacking self-control. I learned how practicing breathing techniques , staying active, eating healthy, and doing things I enjoy like nature walks were key to normalizing my heart rate and making these debilitating symptoms manageable.