Stressed About Stress

Unhealthy stress occurs when perceived demand exceeds perceived ability to cope. I want you to read very carefully while I write that again.

Unhealthy stress occurs when perceived demand exceeds perceived ability to cope.

We need optimal stress in our lives. It gets us out of bed and guides some of our priorities. But when we think there’s too much to do and we can’t manage it all, the stress becomes destructive.

Stress contributes to heart disease, depression, suicide, ulcers, GI disorders, anxiety and a myriad of other ailments.

But unhealthy stress is literally caused by our perceptions. How we see the world around us and our place in it. It doesn’t come from a lack of time or too many tasks.

It comes from what we tell ourselves.

And that’s a good thing. Because now we can do something about it!

Action – Next time you feel the unhealthy stress bubbling up, ask yourself these questions:

• is this REALLY too much?
• have I successfully dealt with something similar in the past?
• what can I do right now to manage this effectively?
• what external resources, like people or technology, is available to me?

Shift your perception and you WILL shift the unhealthy stress. It is NOT a necessary part of life.