We hear a lot about stress these days. But do we really give it the focus it deserves? Ongoing stress can ＿＿（11）＿＿ a heavy price on our physical and mental well-being. We can't avoid stress; we must learn how to control our reaction to it. Dr. Hans Selye defined stress in the 1950s as the "nonspecific response of the organism to any pressure or demand." Stress is the total response of your mind and body to the stressors you experience. It includes everyday wear and tear, both "good" (a promotion) and "bad" (fight with a friend) stressors. The stress reaction in itself is ＿＿（12）＿＿ . It can result in a feeling of exhilaration and eagerness. ＿＿（13）＿＿ this in our lives, things would be pretty flat. However, the stress reaction is a process of mobilizing the body's resources and, if allowed to become ongoing, can deplete those resources, resulting in illness. The major sources of stress are the environment, our bodies, and our minds. Negative stress begins with our ＿＿（14）＿＿ of a situation. Feelings aren't caused by events, but by our beliefs about them. If we determine the event is dangerous, our stress reactions will ＿＿（15）＿＿ . Therefore, our perceptions are very important in how much stress we feel. Internalized stress keeps the mind agitated and throws the nervous system out of balance. It interferes with the immune response and produces stress-related disorders.