How to Handle Stress

Any experience that we are unable to normally handle, can lead to stress, such as a roof leak, bills, car problems, illness in the family,  unemployment,  price rise, declining stocks, check bounce, or kids engaged in brawls that could get on our nerves.  Stress is unavoidable, but manageable.  Our health depends on how we react to stressful events.  If we allow stress to overpower us,  the result could be unpleasant or ultimately disastrous.

If we handle stress intelligently, we can succeed in turning the enemy into an ally.  If we look at stress from a point of view whereby we can be invigorated, educated and motivated, there is no doubt that we can avoid letting it adversely affect our health.

There are a few stress-fighting techniques to choose from.  We can keep stress out of our way,  by finding the one that is right for us.

• Attitude Adjustments:  Attitude could cause stress, particularly in our relationships. We might suffer from low self-esteem and feel downright frustrated because of lack of recognition by others, or by our bosses at work. Failure could cause a great deal of stress.  Not getting enough from life could give us stress, particularly when we feel that, in spite of our best efforts, we are deprived of what we deserve.  Under such circumstances, it is important that we change the attitudes that generate stress in the first place.  For example:
• Be assertive:  The office worker who feels like a slave, the salesman who feels frustrated, when he finds himself at the bottom of the ladder, in spite of his best efforts.  There is a lack of respect on the part of such people — from both themselves and others.  In order to conquer this feeling of frustration,  they should turn the problem around by beginning to communicate needs and feelings.  In other words, there is a need to be straightforward, make no excuses, admit feelings of frustration and express our preferences.  Say what we want.

Stress could also be a self-inflicted burden which could be avoided by sharing the load.  Sometimes we fail to get others to pitch in because of our ego.

• Find a safety valve:  When we come home, we might be confronted by kids, spouses and unpaid bills.  What we should do is find a diversion:  take a walk; soak in the tub; read the newspaper. Do whatever we could to relax. Get together with the family only when we feel relaxed, not when we are ready to explode.  We should find some time for leisure, if possible, and forget the overwhelming pressures of the day; even be lazy for a change,
• Stress busters:  Be physically active: walking, stretching, working in the garden could be a high-powered stress buster. 
• Locate a group:   We should share our problems with like-minded people.  By doing so,  we might find our levels of stress declining.

There are a lot of ways, to control our stress. Unfortunately, when we  are in the grip of stress, we forget that there are ways not to let it overpower us.  Some people worry too much, even when there should be no cause to worry.  This could also cause stress. 

In conclusion, we should realize that life is fraught with all kinds of problems, but we should be able to attune ourselves to the fact that, we should take one step at a time in our struggles, and not jump the gun when we panic under certain circumstances.