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Even mild stress can distort perception.

Anxiety symptoms cause exaggerations and distortions of reality.

Daily stress managment practices help us notice more of what is around us.

While on vacation this summer on the Garden Island of Kauai, my husband and I had booked a botanical gardens tour. The rain made visibility difficult and slowed our driving. Our jeep climbed a muddy dirt road to a secluded parking lot that appeared to have a couple of rustic outbuildings. We were both focused on finding the right place to park and meet for the start of our 2-hour tour.

We saw a rustic open-air hut with greenery on the roof, with many chairs laid out and a podium. We found a place to sit in the indoor/outdoor room and listened as our guide gave the introduction to our tour. After we walked through stunning gardens, sampled chocolates from around the world, and savored fresh cloves, cinnamon, and ambrosia from the cacao fruit, we returned to where we began. I was stunned to notice brightly colored vines streaming in abundance all over the rustic hut. In my hurry to find the right place to go, so as not to miss our tour, I had brushed past the most spectacular flowing vine I had ever seen. Our guide said they were Indian Clock Vines, or Thunbergia Mysorensis. Their bright yellow and red flowers cascaded like wind chimes, covering the entire entrance to the meeting area. Another woman commented, “I didn’t notice them either! Aren’t they gorgeous.” Even though we came to the gardens to view plants, we almost missed seeing........

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