Stress is a feeling so inevitable sometimes it comes to us unexpectedly. Once in a while, stress can be helpful and perfectly normal. But too much of it is unhealthy. Stress is a natural response to the pressures that are persistently occurring in our life. We cannot get away with these pressures but we can get rid of stress if we decide to. It is pressure that is happening to us; stress is how we react and respond to these pressures.
Learn How to Handle Pressure
What is pressure? These are the demands and sometimes difficulties in life that we have to face. We term it “pressure” because we require extra effort and force to meet those demands and overcome the difficulties. Working out a rocky relationship, coping with loads of office work, getting through tough times—these are common examples of a person’s experiences that can create pressure.
How can you learn to become resistant to life’s pressures? You simply have to learn to accept the existence of pressure in your life without allowing it to eat you alive. Take it for granted or run away from it and it will come running after you. Face it and it will not invite stress in your life.
Let us take the workplace scenario as a good example to illustrate it. You are tasked to work on a project with a difficult officemate as your partner. Being difficult, your co-worker does not bother to even solicit opinions about the project. What do you do?
Well, the colleague’s attitude alone is already a pressure on your part, not to mention the project you need to accomplish in a given deadline. The best thing to do is to go on with the project, with or without the assistance of your officemate. Do not let the attitude of the person eat you up because if you do, it may not be your loss but it is you who will suffer the stress in the end.
Take Heed of Stress Warnings
The warnings we are referring to are the stress indicators in our everyday life, not the stressors or the causes of stress. Should you be mad at your boss for giving you a list of pending tasks to be worked on? That is part of work and you should accept that reality. Can you blame petty quarrels and arguments with officemates because your opinions clashed? Is that not supposed to be the nature of conflict? These are mere realities of life. It turns out to become stress if you react negatively to the situation. So, instead of working on the pending task, either you complain about it or you procrastinate. Your reaction then becomes the real cause of stress and not the work itself.
Before stress comes to you inevitably, beware of the stress indicators. Be vigilant with any sign of emotional and mental transitions. If your day started out right but as you go on with your day, you notice that your mood starts to shift, be alert about that change and redirect it back to how you originally started your day.
A good method to take heed of stress warnings is to be logical in your manner thinking. Assess the situation and keep on asking yourself questions to find answers and maybe even come up solutions. Doing so prevents stress in getting to your emotions.
Take Control of Your Life
We are supposed to be the Michelangelo of our own art work. We are ideally the captain of our own ship. In taking control of your life, you must know how to manage your decisions, trust your instincts, and handle your emotions.
Do not be a slave to your emotions nor should you allow other people to direct your life for you. Who else is allowed to run your life but you? Believe in your potentials and abilities to live an abundant life free from stress. If you think you have the power to lead, develop that potential. Consider your own decisions first before letting others decide for you. Be strong enough to face any challenge life will bring you. After all, you alone are responsible for your life.
