You Need to Know About Stress!
You Need to Know About Stress!
For you to manage your stress well and find stress relief, you need to know about stress. Sun Tuz, the Chinese general, military strategist, and philosopher wrote in his well-known and influential book, The Art of War, "It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles."
This is true as you do battle with stress. A quick look at stress statistics shows that stress can be a formidable enemy.
Through the course of a day, you encounter stressors repeatedly. You likely have a hundred battles with stress before your day is over.
When not managed well, the impact of daily stress builds up. Over time, it can have a devastating effect on you physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially.
The better you understand stress, the more likely it is that you will be able to cope in a healthy, productive manner.
Why do you need to know about stress?
To start with, you need to understand the definition of stress. There are many words and phrases used to define stress, such as...
the stress response
the fight or flight response
the tend and befriend response
the rest and digest response
eustress
distress
I will post articles about each of these in coming weeks, so watch for them.
Knowing what stress is, can help you identify the stress symptoms, or strain, as they start to occur.
Thus, you will be less likely to allow your stress to go unchecked until it has built up to the point of becoming a serious problem.
It is better to deal with stressors as they are happening than to wait and cope with chronic stress. By nipping the symptoms of stress in the bud, you will be less likely to have to deal with stress and anxiety symptoms.
Furthermore, by understanding what stress is, you will also have a better idea about how you can defend yourself from the harmful consequences of stress while making use of the benefits of stress.
Stress and its results can be divided into two categories…good stress and bad stress. With a basic knowledge of stress and its definition you will better be able to take advantage of the good stress. You will also be more equipped to avoid the consequences of the bad stress.
Finally, you need to know where stress comes from. Being aware of the sources of stress will make it possible for you to avoid some causes.
This may make it possible for you to reduce the amount of stress you experience and, therefore, reduce the resulting strain.
According to the American Psychological Association, stress is frequently triggered by...
the state of our nation and the political climate
financial issues and concerns
work problems
violence and crime.
Two other sources of stress that people frequently bring up in my sessions and workshops are...
relationship issues
health problems.
Of course, you cannot avoid all stress. And neither would you want to. Without some stress, life would be boring.
As has already been stated, there is good stress and there is negative stress. The trick is to avoid unnecessary stress that can contribute to pain and problems.
Even when you can't avoid stressors, by being aware of their sources, you may be able to anticipate them and prepare for their effects.
Here is a humorous video that addresses sources of stress. Click, watch it, and enjoy!
Did you find this information helpful? Do you want to know more?
