3 Strategies For Stress

As much as we would like to avoid it, sometimes we need to confront and deal with stress and anxiety

Wouldn’t it be nice if living a more enlightened life meant that you never had to deal with stress again? Maybe yes, maybe no, but the fact is that even an enlightened life is a human life, and from time to time we all have to deal with anxiety. The trick is in how you deal with it and what you do to keep it from taking over your life.

I once worked with a woman who treated every problem as a tragedy. Her name was Jean, but I thought of her as “Chicken Little” and I avoided her as much as possible because she just wasn’t a lot of fun to work with. I can’t imagine that she enjoyed her own company much either. She allowed herself to get stuck in every issue that came her way, which greatly hampered her progress. The truth is that when stressful situations tap away at your peace of mind, staying mindful of the big picture will help keep you calm down. It’s all comes down to three simple strategies: Take a Break; Change Your Perspective; Keep Moving Forward.

Take A Break -

When the stress becomes overwhelming, stop what you’re doing and take at least a little breather. Anxiety builds upon itself, not unlike a wildfire, and stepping away from it can diffuse the pressure. Believe me, if you feel like you can’t possibly stop to take a break, this is the time you need it the most. It doesn’t have to be a long or elaborate break, just enough to help you reset yourself. And then when you’ve had that small mental break, get back to work. The issues will only get worse if you try to hide from them.

Change Your Perspective -

In some foreign languages, the word “problem” translates literally to “opportunity.” This can be hard to remember when you’re trying to deal with stressful situations, but it really is true. Working to find a different interpretation of whatever is troubling you can help you break a big problem into smaller elements. It can help you feel calmer, better able to deal with the anxiety. Most importantly, looking at the issue from a different perspective can help you brainstorm for solutions you might not have thought of otherwise.

Keep Moving Forward -

Okay, maybe you’re trying to deal with the stress of an endless to do list, juggling priorities and stretched capabilities. Instead of letting the anxiety of all that needs to be done paralyze you, just make something happen. Break the big jobs into little pieces. Evaluate the priorities to determine what’s important now (W-I-N) and deal with it. Little achievements add up to true progress, and it takes less time than you might think.

Finally, learn the lessons of history. It might sound simplistic to say, “This too shall pass.” It really is true, though. And sometimes if you can just hold on through the storm you’ll find that much more peaceful times will follow. So maybe the biggest lesson of all for dealing stress and anxiety is perseverence. Just hold on and stay on course. You really will get there.