by Sabrina Dawkin
Stress is sometimes hard to avoid, but it can be managed. Often, people become so accustomed to living with stress that it becomes somewhat normal. They go about their daily lives with high blood pressure, psychosomatic illnesses and anxiety, lacking the time or energy to explore different avenues of dealing with life’s stressors.
The first step to managing stress is admitting that one is stressed. Denial of stress will only prolong or worsen the symptoms. Facing the situation, however, will hasten a solution.
Once stress has been acknowledged, the stressors can be identified and mitigated. The only reason this process could be delayed is if one does not deem him or herself important enough to appease and thus simply endures bad situations, people, or events due to lack of concern for oneself.
If stressors cannot be outright removed or avoided, they can at least be understood and surmounted. For example, people who cause one stress cannot always be avoided; but if understood, their behavior becomes less damaging, and might even appear amusing or comical. A stressful event that cannot be avoided, such as an important exam or job interview, can be overcome by proper preparation, which replaces anxiety with confidence.
Ways to get one’s mind off of stressful things include listening to soothing or upbeat music, taking the scenic route to a location, exercising, calling a friend, going to the movies (even if alone) or taking a nap. Likewise, doing something productive, such as filling out a job application, finishing a lingering project, or reading a book, can relieve stress or make one feel as if he or she is at least turning wheels to get out of the rut. Any positive activity that prevents one from being consumed by unhappy and/or unhelpful thoughts can aid in the management of stress.
Many times, stress is something that is allowed rather than something that is inevitable. Sometimes it can be scary to let go of stress if one becomes accustomed to living with it. Maybe the energy needed to get out of a stressful situation, or find new ways to deal with the stressors, is perceived as too great. But stress can be overcome with diligence and careful attention to negative reactions in the body and mind.
Once a person makes him or herself a top priority, the identification and neutralization of stressors becomes a vital process in life so that one can maintain a balanced and fulfilling existence. By entertaining positive thoughts and engaging in productive activities, negative experiences will be outnumbered by positive ones. And one can use the enjoyment procured to create more positive experiences and eliminate unnecessary negative experiences, or at least render them less harmful.
From Helium published on 14 September 2010
