Can it be cured?
We cannot cure stress as such and trying to do so would be counterproductive. Stress is not only what causes us stress related symptoms, but it is also the catalyst of motivation which drives us to achieve. Stress only becomes an issue when we suffer too much stress, too little stress or the wrong kind or stress. We need to ensure a balance in order to feel motivated and pleasantly challenged, but not worn out and under too much pressure.
Positive and Negative stress
An important fact to note is that there is both Positive and Negative stress. Negative stress is defined as something that has no obvious benefit, for example, debt, bereavement or losing your job. Positive stress comes from opportunity, for example things that happen in life that although they bring benefits, they also bring added stress. This could be a job promotion, marriage or moving to a new house.
Just as positive stress can have negative side effects through stress, negative stress can have long term benefits. For example, losing your job may be terrible initially, but in the long run it may open the door to a brand new more profitable career.
Stress factors bring benefit or ruin according to what we do with them – in the words of Paul McKenna.
It is up to us to provide ourselves with resources that we need to cope with stress better and to ensure that we channel our efforts into building a future.
What can we do to alleviate stress?
Channel stress into a positive activity.
Reduce unnecessary stress.
Plan for the future and aim for it using goals.
Practice self-forgiveness if we still get stressed out sometimes.
Wear off negative stress by any form of exercise even if it is just going for a walk.
Increase our resources such as more sleep, healthy food, meditation, vitamins.
If you are still struggling to reduce your stress related symptoms, don’t beat yourself up about it, and try using the Three R’s to turn it into a positive.
Resources
Ensure that you increase your resources and whatever is needed to aid recovery and reduce the stress. Your resources are things like sleep, holidays, vitamins. Good food, meditation, exercise, and additional counselling or coaching.
Recover
Make sure that you factor in “Time Out” and assistance to enable you to recover from what just happened to you. This is an essential part of Self-care.
Reflect
Once you are in the recovering stage, work out what happened, and whether some preventative lessons can be learned from this incident. Look for something positive that came out as a result of this stressful incident and build on this benefit.
I wish you success with your journey to managing your stress.
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