 The stress is the desire for things to be different than they are in this present moment. So the very first step to lowering stress is mere acceptance. It's saying that what's going on around me right now is outside of my control, and I might not like it, and it might not be my preference. But this is what is going on right now. And our stress doesn't come from events and circumstances. Our stress comes from our response or our resistance to those events and circumstances.