A Matter of Perspective
Not everyone agrees with me or gets my sense of humor...
That’s a good thing, I guess. If we all thought the same way about things, it would make for a boring existence.
Did you know that if you boil a funny bone it becomes a laughing stock? Now that’s humerus!!!
Okay, now that I got that off my chest, we can move on.
Let’s talk about stress.
Our world and population is under tremendous stress. Part of the stress that we are under is the stress we put upon ourselves by worrying about how stressed we are! Stress + Stress = More Stress!
According to the Cleveland Clinic, stress is defined as, “...the body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. Stress is a normal part of life. You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and your thoughts. Even positive life changes such as a promotion, a mortgage, or the birth of a child produce stress.”
I never really thought of positive changes causing stress. But I guess it must be true.
Sometimes, even coming up with an idea for this column can cause stress and I love to write this column.
Once I settle on a topic, I am fine, but until that moment of decision, I feel different physical, psychological and emotional responses.
One of the ideas that plagues me is this: “What if I can’t think of something to write about anymore?”
I guess it is a possibility, but unlikely. It seems like I always have something to write about every topic...even if I am wrong!
But, back to stress. How do we handle our stress?
If stress goes on for too long, it can create some real problematic physical symptoms ranging from dizziness, aches and pains to a whole plethora of other problems.
The Cleveland Clinic listed these as ways to handle stress in your life.
Tips for reducing stress
People can learn to manage stress and lead happier, healthier lives. You may want to begin with the following tips:
• Keep a positive attitude.
• Accept that there are events that you cannot control.
• Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming angry, defensive, or passive.
• Learn and practice relaxation techniques; try meditation, yoga, or tai-chi.
• Exercise regularly. Your body can fight stress better when it is fit.
• Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
• Learn to manage your time more effectively.
• Set limits appropriately and say no to requests that would create excessive stress in your life.
• Make time for hobbies and interests.
• Get enough rest and sleep. Your body needs time to recover from stressful events.
• Don’t rely on alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress.
• Seek out social support. Spend enough time with those you love.
• Seek treatment with a psychologist or other mental health professional trained in stress management or biofeedback techniques to learn more healthy ways of dealing with the stress in your life.
I would like to add prayer to this list. A little bit of prayer never hurts anyone.