I’m probably beginning to sound like a broken record with my suggestions but every time I find a little tidbit on stress management, I have to share it.
I once heard a man say “If you want to help others deal with their stress, you’re going to have to learn to handle your own.” So, when I talk about methods of dealing with stress I try to come from a personal experience perspective and tell what I do that works. Sometimes I read about methods that don’t seem to work for me or I’m unwilling to try as they seem a little outside my comfort zone. I do sometimes try to do things outside my comfort zone just for the experience. I find that operating outside my comfort zone can be very enlightening and lead to interesting experiences.
I try to think of stress as how I (or anyone) relate to what happens to me and that I am in control of that. I’ve stated many times that I feel the only thing I can control is what goes on between my ears and the rest is beyond my control. I try to remember this so I’m not frustrated by worrying about why someone did or did not do something that could affect me. If I don’t allow those acts to affect me then they have no control over me.
Of course stress can be caused by external or internal forces. The external forces are pretty much things that happen to us because of people or things beyond our control and once again, I try to remember not to stress about things over which I have no control. Internal stress could be termed self induced - that is, we create our own stress through how we react to a situation or external stimulus or by our self talk. Of course as I’ve stated previously this means it is my choice how I act or react to any given situation even though it may be caused by an external source.
To manage stress you must change by figuring out if you are doing something to contribute to your situation and if you can do anything about it. You can change your thinking, change your behavior, change the situations you find yourself in or change your lifestyle choices. This can relieve current stress and prevent future problems or repeat conditions. An example might be that you decided to get a puppy but find that it is not only chewing everything in reach but also refusing to become trained to go to the bathroom outside. This can be very frustrating and the cause of much stress but if you take a good look at things, maybe you have some unrealistic expectations of behavior for a puppy. If you modify your expectations you may find things go easier since your stress or lack thereof will be communicated to the puppy.
There are numerous ways to relieve stress, among them deep breathing exercises, cutting back on caffeinated beverages, getting regular exercise, relaxation, meditation and many more.
For more information on Managing Stress request this free report.
