Many of us 'blame' others for our stress, but to add to the confusion in addressing stress, is the fact the stress we feel comes from inside our own heads, rather than from an external source. The stimuli may be external but we create the stress responses from inside. Interesting isn't?
Past experiences can bring forth stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that can wreak havoc with your day. But, until you accept responsibility for the role you may play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.
One strategy that can help you identify your true source for stress is an examination of your own mental attitude concerning stress. Here are some questions to help you "dig deep":
* Do you consider stress a "way of life?" ("That's just how things are.")
* Do you think of your stress as an inevitable and ongoing part of your work ("This is just a really crazy job")?
* Do you think of your stress as temporary ("It's our busy season") even though you can't remember the last time you didn't feel stressed?
* Do you think of stress as being an integral part of your personality? ("I've just got a lot of energy, that's all.")
* Do you blame your stress on other people or external events? ("If the train arrived on schedule, I wouldn't be so stressed.")
As I have said previously, stress is everywhere, as such, many people find it difficult to keep track of the things that push their stress "needle" into the red zone and what they did to cope. That's why I recommend that my clients start a stress journal. You might find it valuable, too.
When you experience stress, keep track of it in your journal. A daily log will help you identify the regular stressors in your life and give you a snapshot of how you're dealing with them. More importantly, it will help you identify patterns and common themes.
For each stressful experience, write done:
1. The cause of your stress (If you're not certain, take an educated guess)
2. The physical sensations you experienced (e.g.tightness in the chest)
3. The emotional sensations you experienced (e.g. frustrated, angry)
4. How you acted in response (e.g. short tempered)
5. Whether your response made you feel better right away.
6. Whether your response made you feel better when you thought about it an hour later
Think about the ways you currently manage and cope with stress in your life. Your stress journal can help you identify them first, then you can be proactive about changing these behaviours.
Past experiences can bring forth stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that can wreak havoc with your day. But, until you accept responsibility for the role you may play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.
One strategy that can help you identify your true source for stress is an examination of your own mental attitude concerning stress. Here are some questions to help you "dig deep":
* Do you consider stress a "way of life?" ("That's just how things are.")
* Do you think of your stress as an inevitable and ongoing part of your work ("This is just a really crazy job")?
* Do you think of your stress as temporary ("It's our busy season") even though you can't remember the last time you didn't feel stressed?
* Do you think of stress as being an integral part of your personality? ("I've just got a lot of energy, that's all.")
* Do you blame your stress on other people or external events? ("If the train arrived on schedule, I wouldn't be so stressed.")
As I have said previously, stress is everywhere, as such, many people find it difficult to keep track of the things that push their stress "needle" into the red zone and what they did to cope. That's why I recommend that my clients start a stress journal. You might find it valuable, too.
When you experience stress, keep track of it in your journal. A daily log will help you identify the regular stressors in your life and give you a snapshot of how you're dealing with them. More importantly, it will help you identify patterns and common themes.
For each stressful experience, write done:
1. The cause of your stress (If you're not certain, take an educated guess)
2. The physical sensations you experienced (e.g.tightness in the chest)
3. The emotional sensations you experienced (e.g. frustrated, angry)
4. How you acted in response (e.g. short tempered)
5. Whether your response made you feel better right away.
6. Whether your response made you feel better when you thought about it an hour later
Think about the ways you currently manage and cope with stress in your life. Your stress journal can help you identify them first, then you can be proactive about changing these behaviours.
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