Stress is an interpretation of an event or circumstance which is understood to be a threat. It can be any force or pressure put on a system (living or nonliving) which may result in a need for the system to adapt or change. Stress on human beings is like a rubber band. You also stretch to meet the environment around you, the demands of your lifestyle, and the pressures you put on yourself. If pulled too far, stress manifests itself in real conditions mentally, physically, and emotionally. Like a rubber band breaks when stretched too far, human beings have a breaking point too. The secret is to learn how to handle stress in your life and avoid becoming over-stressed.
The A B C's of Stress
Activating event
Belief about the event
Consequences of the event
Stress is the internal pressure we put on ourselves from external factors. Living with moderate stress keeps you sharp and ready to move forward, however extreme stress can put you out of commission. It depends on your stress levels---how much you can deal with effectively. Some people thrive with stressful situations and some people snap at the slightest uncomfortable circumstance. Depending on your current stress level, when confronted with a stressor, you may respond with shock or feel stuck.
The fast-paced, technologically advanced, complicated world has brought many changes to our lives. The pace of change does not seem to be decreasing, but rather increasing all the time. These changes put more demands and pressures on each of us to make adjustments to do more with less. While stress is a definite modern world reality, being "stressed-out" is not. We mistakenly believe that being stressed-out is "just the way it is." And we often get in competition with each other about who feels the worst!
This is crazy thinking. Stress can be a powerful motivator in our lives, and in fact, you can learn to use stress to your advantage. If you think about it---one form of stress or another is responsible for everything big and small in our world. For example, the earth "stresses" a piece of coal until it turns into a beautiful diamond. The key is to find out how you can use the stress in your life to create a diamond out of a rock!
As with most things in life, prevention is the best medicine. By learning about your personal health risks, family history, current health, and life choices (eating, exercise, smoking, drinking, stress) you can make smarter decisions. Ultimately, your life choices affect how you feel and how you function.
Stress management comes down to self-management. It is about selecting appropriate options as well as making smart decisions.
The best way to avoid "burn out" is to become aware of your unique stressors and coping mechanisms. Burn out comes from experiencing stress over a prolonged period and often leads to a visit to the doctor. There are many ways to alleviate stress, however, you must find what works best for you and commit to doing it on a daily basis.
***Adapted from NEW ebook, Get Smart! About Modern Stress Management: Your Personal Guide to Living a Balanced life
About The Author
Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed., is a Whole Life Coach, Speaker, and Author of the Get Smart! LearningBook Series, which includes books and workbooks on romantic relationships, career development, life purpose/life strategy, and stress management. Her coaching practice is Brightlight Coaching. She empowers people to live with passion, purpose, & possibility and inspires people to freely shine their brightlight to the world. To learn more or to subscribe to the Get Smart! Live Smart newsletter, Visit virtually: www.getsmartseries.com or www.brightlightcoach.com
Shit happens. I know this to be a fact, because... Read More
June is the month of the honey moon. Custom holds... Read More
I just got through reading some troubling news in the... Read More
Training Your Mind For Better Business and LeisureModern life moves... Read More
Many people go through the motions during Christmas. If not... Read More
Stress relief and managementRecognizing stress symptoms can be a positive... Read More
Q. Help! I moved from the Dallas to Denver. I... Read More
Take a moment to think about the week that just... Read More
Part 1: Recognize the importance of family stress managementJoe and... Read More
"Learn how to turn frustration into fascination. You will learn... Read More
1)Excessive worryNo, I'm not saying "don't worry, be happy."Well-used worry... Read More
The fall season signals a shift in most people's minds.... Read More
IntroductionTime magazine called stress the "The Epidemic of the Eighties".... Read More
A friend has this quotation on his office wall: "I... Read More
We all know what it's like coming home from a... Read More
Most humans experience unexpected setbacks which can cause huge stress... Read More
Today's workplace produces plenty of stress. Life's little hassles mount... Read More
Have you ever said the words, "This job/my life is... Read More
Conceptualizing stress: Stress often has a negative connotation. Failure, illnesses,... Read More
It was a self-exploration that made me understand myself. It... Read More
What good is Personal or Business Success...if your Health is... Read More
"I've got too much to do, I've just got too... Read More
If there was a way of relaxing quickly and easily... Read More
Stress is often seen as being unhealthy, but for some... Read More
"Slow down, you move too fast, you've got to make... Read More
So, you've recognised that you are suffering from stress and... Read More
In order to free ourselves from the pain of anger... Read More
In his book, The 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness, author... Read More
On a beautiful summer day years ago, I went water... Read More
Workplace stress is on the rise and it's costing corporate... Read More
THE ENCHANTED SELF® teaches you how to access positive states... Read More
Stress is normal. Stress is OK. Stress is the same... Read More
Statistics show that all of us experience stress at one... Read More
Caring for a chronically ill loved one can be one... Read More
When September rolls around, does it generally hit you like... Read More
ResentmentsA wise friend once said that holding onto resentments is... Read More
I recently received this e-mail message about stress management (author... Read More
With how busy we keep ourselves on a day to... Read More
If you have recently lost health insurance coverage through your... Read More
Seventy-five percent of all our problems ? both emotional and... Read More
So many of us live a stressful life. Unfortunately, when... Read More
Every day we are faced with a situation where our... Read More
The Problem You don't need me to tell you how... Read More
Over the years I've collected scores of comics and cartoons... Read More
In the fast-paced world that we live in today, it... Read More
Loneliness and separation are the real illness of our times.... Read More
IntroductionTime magazine called stress the "The Epidemic of the Eighties".... Read More
It's no secret that we women, by virtue of our... Read More
We wonder how many of you might recognise this scenario?... Read More
Most of us are trying to balance work, home, and... Read More
How much attention is paid to one of the biggest... Read More
Voice: Bill!Bill: I thought I heard a voice.Voice: Bill! This... Read More
The moment I read the story I'm about to share... Read More
Have you been feeling so stressful and almost losing your... Read More
CHICAGO - According to a recent article in the September... Read More
Q:We recently had someone come to our company to talk... Read More
Meditation seems to have arrived in the mainstream of late,... Read More
Are You Too Stressed?Is your stomach all tied up in... Read More
Do you feel stress at work? Do you carry your... Read More
Looking for mindfulness? Who ya gonna call?Try dialing M.It's easy... Read More
Life would be so wonderful if it weren't for other... Read More
Several studies, including one of medical students around exam time,... Read More
Learning methods of stress elimination is a vital skill in... Read More
Stress management is a hot topic; stress-related illness and suffering... Read More
A while back, I was in a minor fender-bender accident,... Read More
The brain uses feel-good transmitters called endorphins when managing daily... Read More
Stress Management |