What is Stress? The definition may vary slightly from person to person, but we've all felt its effects at some point or another and have our own experiences associated with the word. Stress is the failing to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats we happen to perceive day to day, and the symptoms can range anywhere from mild irritation to serious health risks.
The term stress was invented by man to describe the body's reaction to a threat (the alarm we first feel, the resistance we put up, and then finally exhaustion). One might say it is 'man-made', and in this day and age has become widely overused and abused and is the scape-goat of mankind to why we can't cope, concentrate, stay calm, or just plain be happy!
So what can we do about it??? Well, the last thing I would suggest you do is take any type of drugs or medication to ease your 'stress'. Most of the time it is just a band-aid treatment and will only create an unneeded dependency. It's like when I hear that someone has picked up smoking in order to help deal with the stress of school or work, it really actually saddens me. Smoking might help a smoker relax their nerves temporarily due to getting their needed fix of nicotine, but a non-smoker to start for that same reason is a little absurd since they're just creating a new dependency that needs fulfilling... but of course, I digress. There's a better, less temporary and logical way of reducing or eliminating stress from your life, I assure you.
First off, looking back at our definitions, we have to come to terms with the fact that most of the time stress is either imagined or exaggerated in our minds. All we have to do is take control of our imaginations and we can easily steer ourselves in the right direction! It is how you perceive 'stressful' situations that make them stressful to begin with, otherwise it is just another challenge you can and will easily overcome (just like you always have). If you're a logical thinker, you can use statistics to back up your reactions to these situations. Ask yourself, has something like this happened before? How many times in your life? Did you get through it alright? If you take a moment to really think about it, you will realize that you've consistently overcome stressful situations throughout your entire life, and they have helped shape the individual that you are today. I mean, you've made it this far right? Statistically speaking you're going to be okay, because you always have been...
I will mention this concept repeatedly throughout this site, but your life is kind of like your very own movie, where you're the writer, director, and of course the lead roll. This concept is important, because it puts you in the driver seat, giving you control of your life! You are not really a victim of circumstance, but rather an empowered being with the ability to fashion your own environment, how it reacts to you and most importantly how you react to it.
Let's say you're at work and your boss gives you what seems like an unreasonable deadline to complete "X" amount of work. You have a few options (aside from confronting your boss in protest). You can of course panic: worry that you may not be able to get the work done in time and then envision how your boss will react to this. You might worry that you'll get fired, remember all the other mistakes you've ever made at your job, and this cycle of thinking might continue in a systematic downward spiral (worrying tends to cause a chain reaction of negativity). Of course this might be an exaggeration for you. You might just worry about one of these things, it really all depends on the type of person you are! Regardless, the effects of the stress are very real, and you begin to perspire and your heart rate rises. Some people thrive off of this and use the adrenaline to get the work done as quickly and efficiently as possible, but most might not do so well as their emotions cloud their judgment and productivity.
Your other options? Well, first and foremost, always take a moment to breathe. Deep proper breathing will eliminate your anxiety if you focus on it, because it slows your heart rate and gives your brain more oxygen and energy for your body. You may not have noticed, but in a panicked or stressful situation we tend to subconsciously hold our breath, or breath very shallow (watch for it next time). This in turn cuts off the level of oxygen going to the brain, escalates the heart rate (which is trying to deliver as much oxygen as possible), causing a chain reaction in the body which in turn makes us physically more panicked, creating a cycle that was born in your mind. It sounds simple enough, but proper breathing (which the average person rarely does, or even knows how) can control hysteria, stress, anxiety, and anger, among other things.
So now that we covered the breathing, what else can we do? Well your thought patterns should go something like this: "I have been in situations like this before. I have met deadlines in the past so there's no reason to believe I can't do this. I have overcome every obstacle I've ever met one way or another because I'm here now at this very moment aren't I? And even if I don't end up getting this done on time, I will do my very best and know that no one else could possibly do any better. And if my best isn't enough then I'm better off working somewhere else where I'll be appreciated for my efforts..." and so on and so on... a positive cycle of thinking (because it's always possible to put a positive spin on things). The fact is that staying calm will actually allow you to use better judgment and time management in order to get the work done as efficiently as possible. Even the belief that if you stay calm you will get through this is enough to help. Stress is avoided.
Another general solution is to really think about how important the stressful issue is. Ask yourself if it's really as big a deal as you're making it out to be (because usually it isn't). Now compare the situation to something much much worse. Now, aren't you grateful it isn't what you imagined? Sometimes it's hard to think positively in every given situation, but you have to force yourself to see the pro(s) in it somehow, or use the 'things can always be worse' card. The more you look at things positively, the more naturally this ability will come, and then eventually that's how you will approach every problem in your life automatically. You will learn to see problems as a challenge to overcome, a test of character, and something that can ultimately give you strength.
Stress can also be avoided through positive distraction. You can focus on something good in your life, or a future date or plan you can look forward to. Even focusing on a goal is healthy! There are many ways to divert yourself from what we may see as 'problems' and get through life stress-free. We've all heard the phrase "sh*t happens", meaning that life isn't perfect. A reason for this is because if we were happy all the time then we wouldn't know it, for "without the sour, the sweet wouldn't be as sweet". Don't act surprised when something unexpectedly wrong happens, because it usually is a necessary humbling experience that will help you appreciate the good things in your life much more than you already do. If you can understand these laws of the universe and the necessary balance, then maybe you can feel more at peace with your own life.
Studies have shown that the #1 cause of cancer is actually stress, not bad eating patterns, smoking addictions, cell phones, etc (although they certainly don't help!). It puts unnecessary strain on your immune system and cells, and can be very exhausting after the adrenaline rush dies down and your energy is depleted. You will live longer, healthier and happier too, if you can learn to relax and stay in control of yourself. Don't be the star of a mental breakdown /psycho-drama movie. Be the likable lead that overcomes obstacles and has a life full of adventures and happiness...
The term stress was invented by man to describe the body's reaction to a threat (the alarm we first feel, the resistance we put up, and then finally exhaustion). One might say it is 'man-made', and in this day and age has become widely overused and abused and is the scape-goat of mankind to why we can't cope, concentrate, stay calm, or just plain be happy!
So what can we do about it??? Well, the last thing I would suggest you do is take any type of drugs or medication to ease your 'stress'. Most of the time it is just a band-aid treatment and will only create an unneeded dependency. It's like when I hear that someone has picked up smoking in order to help deal with the stress of school or work, it really actually saddens me. Smoking might help a smoker relax their nerves temporarily due to getting their needed fix of nicotine, but a non-smoker to start for that same reason is a little absurd since they're just creating a new dependency that needs fulfilling... but of course, I digress. There's a better, less temporary and logical way of reducing or eliminating stress from your life, I assure you.
First off, looking back at our definitions, we have to come to terms with the fact that most of the time stress is either imagined or exaggerated in our minds. All we have to do is take control of our imaginations and we can easily steer ourselves in the right direction! It is how you perceive 'stressful' situations that make them stressful to begin with, otherwise it is just another challenge you can and will easily overcome (just like you always have). If you're a logical thinker, you can use statistics to back up your reactions to these situations. Ask yourself, has something like this happened before? How many times in your life? Did you get through it alright? If you take a moment to really think about it, you will realize that you've consistently overcome stressful situations throughout your entire life, and they have helped shape the individual that you are today. I mean, you've made it this far right? Statistically speaking you're going to be okay, because you always have been...
I will mention this concept repeatedly throughout this site, but your life is kind of like your very own movie, where you're the writer, director, and of course the lead roll. This concept is important, because it puts you in the driver seat, giving you control of your life! You are not really a victim of circumstance, but rather an empowered being with the ability to fashion your own environment, how it reacts to you and most importantly how you react to it.
Let's say you're at work and your boss gives you what seems like an unreasonable deadline to complete "X" amount of work. You have a few options (aside from confronting your boss in protest). You can of course panic: worry that you may not be able to get the work done in time and then envision how your boss will react to this. You might worry that you'll get fired, remember all the other mistakes you've ever made at your job, and this cycle of thinking might continue in a systematic downward spiral (worrying tends to cause a chain reaction of negativity). Of course this might be an exaggeration for you. You might just worry about one of these things, it really all depends on the type of person you are! Regardless, the effects of the stress are very real, and you begin to perspire and your heart rate rises. Some people thrive off of this and use the adrenaline to get the work done as quickly and efficiently as possible, but most might not do so well as their emotions cloud their judgment and productivity.
Your other options? Well, first and foremost, always take a moment to breathe. Deep proper breathing will eliminate your anxiety if you focus on it, because it slows your heart rate and gives your brain more oxygen and energy for your body. You may not have noticed, but in a panicked or stressful situation we tend to subconsciously hold our breath, or breath very shallow (watch for it next time). This in turn cuts off the level of oxygen going to the brain, escalates the heart rate (which is trying to deliver as much oxygen as possible), causing a chain reaction in the body which in turn makes us physically more panicked, creating a cycle that was born in your mind. It sounds simple enough, but proper breathing (which the average person rarely does, or even knows how) can control hysteria, stress, anxiety, and anger, among other things.
So now that we covered the breathing, what else can we do? Well your thought patterns should go something like this: "I have been in situations like this before. I have met deadlines in the past so there's no reason to believe I can't do this. I have overcome every obstacle I've ever met one way or another because I'm here now at this very moment aren't I? And even if I don't end up getting this done on time, I will do my very best and know that no one else could possibly do any better. And if my best isn't enough then I'm better off working somewhere else where I'll be appreciated for my efforts..." and so on and so on... a positive cycle of thinking (because it's always possible to put a positive spin on things). The fact is that staying calm will actually allow you to use better judgment and time management in order to get the work done as efficiently as possible. Even the belief that if you stay calm you will get through this is enough to help. Stress is avoided.
Another general solution is to really think about how important the stressful issue is. Ask yourself if it's really as big a deal as you're making it out to be (because usually it isn't). Now compare the situation to something much much worse. Now, aren't you grateful it isn't what you imagined? Sometimes it's hard to think positively in every given situation, but you have to force yourself to see the pro(s) in it somehow, or use the 'things can always be worse' card. The more you look at things positively, the more naturally this ability will come, and then eventually that's how you will approach every problem in your life automatically. You will learn to see problems as a challenge to overcome, a test of character, and something that can ultimately give you strength.
Stress can also be avoided through positive distraction. You can focus on something good in your life, or a future date or plan you can look forward to. Even focusing on a goal is healthy! There are many ways to divert yourself from what we may see as 'problems' and get through life stress-free. We've all heard the phrase "sh*t happens", meaning that life isn't perfect. A reason for this is because if we were happy all the time then we wouldn't know it, for "without the sour, the sweet wouldn't be as sweet". Don't act surprised when something unexpectedly wrong happens, because it usually is a necessary humbling experience that will help you appreciate the good things in your life much more than you already do. If you can understand these laws of the universe and the necessary balance, then maybe you can feel more at peace with your own life.
Studies have shown that the #1 cause of cancer is actually stress, not bad eating patterns, smoking addictions, cell phones, etc (although they certainly don't help!). It puts unnecessary strain on your immune system and cells, and can be very exhausting after the adrenaline rush dies down and your energy is depleted. You will live longer, healthier and happier too, if you can learn to relax and stay in control of yourself. Don't be the star of a mental breakdown /psycho-drama movie. Be the likable lead that overcomes obstacles and has a life full of adventures and happiness...
Thank you for reading.
-The Friendly Individual
