Q#8: Can Stress be Eliminated from Your LIFE?

One of the deadliest myths about stress is that it CANNOT be prevented or eliminated.

There are many stresses that can be changed, eliminated, or even minimized. Different people deal differently with situations they face every day - either at the work, within the home environment or in social environments.

Some of the factors that will determine how effectively we combat stress are: our personality types, our childhood, our attitude and degree of physical well being.

Here's an example to illustrate how one can let stress creep into his/her life unnecessarily:

"It’s the beginning of a perfect morning, you wake up on time, have a great breakfast, you set out to go to work. You discover the traffic’s gone awry and there is no way you can make it to your 8.30 a.m. meeting with your client. To make things worse, you discover your cell phone’s battery is running low…urghhh....at this point, the person has a CHOICE...they can either respond positively or negatively. For illustration, this person takes this on personally and they development the symptoms of stress. You know the feeling, where you can feel the bile rising to your throat, your diastolic pressure goes well above normal…your chest feels tight, your shoulder muscles tighten and you start feeling hot and unfocused."

What do you do? Could this situation have been averted? Can you change the situation?

The above example is a situation that we've all experienced at least once in our lifetime. How did you answer the questions above? It is apparent that the above situation could not have been averted. You woke up on time, you left home on time, and you couldn’t have done anything more than that. Perhaps you could have remembered to charge your cell phone…so you could have partially averted the situation. However, the traffic is something beyond your control. If you know you're going to be late in traffic and you don't have a phone to let your client know; the best you can do is speak positive thoughts to yourself and stay calm and peaceful. Maybe being late prevented you from having harm somehow. So brooding over a negative memory is not going to provide you with a solution to any situation.

A little planning could have helped you in making sure that your cell phone battery doesn't run low. Clearly though, we can make an attempt to take care of those things which are in our hand than to worry about something which is beyond our control.

Here are some things you can do to reduce your level of stress:

• Become aware of your own reactions to stress.
• Reinforce positive self-statements.
• Focus on your good qualities, strengths and accomplishments.
• Avoid unnecessary competition.
• Develop assertive behaviors.
• Recognize and accept your limits. Remember that everyone is unique and different.
• Cultivate hobbies that you find interesting. Relax and have fun.
• Exercise regularly.
• Eat a balanced diet daily.
• Talk with friends or someone you can trust about your worries/problems.
• Learn to use your time wisely:
• Evaluate how you are budgeting your time.
• Plan ahead and avoid idling away the time.
  *Make a weekly schedule and try to follow it.
  *Set realistic goals.
  *Set priorities.
• When studying for an exam, study for short periods and gradually increase the time you spend studying. Take frequent short breaks.
• Practice relaxation techniques. For example, whenever you feel tense, slowly breathe in and out for several minutes.

However, there is one kind of stress that can never be completely eliminated, for example, the stress that an employee experiences at the work place. However, the management and employees who deal with stressful situations can do a lot to reduce the effects of stress.

1. Supervisors can reduce stress by keeping people involved in and informed about decisions that affect them.
   
2. Recognize the warning signs of stress, and deal with these immediately. People often don't recognize the signs of stress in themselves until others point it out. Don't be offended when others try talking to you. They're trying to help.
3. If you feel overwhelmed by stress, then talk to someone. Talk to supervisors and try to resolve the problem. They may be able to help by changing procedures or work duties, rearranging schedules, or arranging time off.
4. If you don't feel comfortable talking to your supervisors, then talk confidentially to the Human Resource Department of your company. They may be able to suggest solutions.
5. Anger and irritability is a common first response to stress. Be constructive, and not destructive, in how you handle stress. Deal with the issues to find a solution. Don't complain to people who cannot resolve the problem.
   
6. Reduce the physical effects of stress. Take breaks during long sessions at the computer. Make sure your office is ergonomically designed. Try slow deep breathing to slow your heart rate. Eat nutritionally, get lots of rest, and exercise regularly.

Next issue: Some stress Management Techniques

Nada Adams is a Business Intuitive who brings razor sharp Clarity to empower clients in Maximizing Success & Fulfilling Goals with Peace and Balance.

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