If someone comes to you and says "I am stressed out!", you wouldn't respond by saying "Congratulations. That's great news. I am so happy for you". Our society views "stress" as a negative and something to be avoided. Stress is defined as "a demand placed on something". Stress is a neutral term and is often positive. In order to get stronger, we stress our muscles in the weight room. In order to gain endurance, we stress our cardiovascular system. In order to gain knowledge, we read and listen to lectures and take notes to stress our minds. Stress, in the proper amounts is what helps us to grow. Stress only becomes distress (defined as "a demand that causes harm") when we don't respond properly to the stress and allow it to be "too much". Too much exercise with not enough rest can cause harm (even as "stress fracture"). Too much demand on our mind or emotions, without coping with those "stressors", can cause harm. Instead of getting "stressed out", we need to "get the stress out" by addressing the demands that life places on us by coping with the demands and not ignoring them. First we need to identify the stressor and then we need to determine the harm that it is causing us and then we need to make a plan to deal with the stressor.
RSS Feed
