Don’t Worry, Be Happy
“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” ~ Lou Holtz
April is National Stress Awareness Month. I wonder why the founders of this awareness drive picked April to be its designated month, but I’m sure that it coincides with the end of tax season is no accident. Stress is all around us every day, either great or small, and whatever the cause, we all have stress in our life. What Lou Holtz is talking about is that there is a wrong way and a right way for us to carry stress…it’s how we deal with it that matters. Everyone is wired differently and for that I am grateful because life we be pretty dull if we were all the same. That being said, everyone also deals with stress differently. There are those individuals who see stress as an opportunity and approach stressful situations as a challenge to be overcome. Then there are those who become almost paralyzed by stress and find it almost debilitating as both physical and mental health are negatively impacted. We all fall on the spectrum somewhere at some point with every situation.
Stress is a growing issue for us as a society. Both public and private organizations are more cognizant of the negative effects of stress and how high levels of negative stress are hurting their personnel as well as their bottom line. To help combat this, more organizations are embracing the logic behind corporate social responsibility and are promoting the wellbeing of their workforce through the awareness of whole wellness. A happy and healthy workforce is a more productive workforce. This notion of wellness goes beyond the walls of the workplace. There are more and more stories of how stress is impacting our homes, schools and playgrounds as people take out the stress of life on others with tragic consequences. The goal of recognizing negative stress and finding ways to deal with that stress in a positive manner in order to help restore a healthy balance of life is something that everyone in society can benefit from.
The list of physical and emotional ailments associated with high levels of negative stress are well documented and the list I will share is by no means an exhaustive list but just to give a basic overview of the wreckage negative stress can have on people. High blood pressure is a by-product of stress and leads to headaches, rapid heart rate, and even heart attacks resulting in death. Stress also causes muscle fatigue, weakens the immune system, increases the likelihood of depression, insomnia, heartburn, stomach issues, decreased sex dive, and increased blood sugar levels. People who live under chronic stress can lead people to have mental breakdowns and lash out in horrific manners. Workplace and school violence are clear reminders that we, as a society, need to develop ways to deal with stress. All in all, high levels of negative stress will find a plethora of ways of trying to make your life miserable and eventually kill you. How do you fight back?
There are several ways of dealing with negative stress and not all of them are healthy. We’ve all seen or heard stories of the person who finally cracked under the stress of XYZ and went on a self-destructive bender that wrecked their career or family or all the above. As much as this approach may sound like a good idea in a moment of, “I don’t care anymore.” This approach will generally end up creating more stress than it cures…trust me on this one. There are several healthy ways to deal with stress that require simple acts and at times the ability to look in the proverbial mirror of life and have a little self-reflection on our behaviors and actions. One way to fight back against negative stress is to have self-positive talk. Language is a powerful thing, if you tell yourself that you can accomplish a task, then you are more likely to achieve that goal. Having a positive outlook is a great tool against stress but it takes daily practice…you can do it. Identify behaviors and habits that add to your stress levels. Looking in the mirror and identifying things that add stress to your life can be a challenge but by being honest with one’s self and holding yourself accountable to your actions can also lead to reduced stress levels. I love this skill, take a nap. A nap is a great way to help reduce stress as it helps to mitigate fatigue and allows people to face challenges with a better attitude. Exercise or a new hobby can be a great outlet to deal with stress as it creates a new routine which can increase the level of your mood…it will make you a happier person. The last of these recommended ways of dealing with stress are to mind your four A’s. Avoid, Adapt, Adopt or Accept.
“Avoid: Some stressors can be avoided because they are not necessary. Avoid people who stress you out and take control of your environment. Learn to distinguish between what you should do and what you must do. That being said, it is catastrophic to avoid stressful situations that need to be addressed.
Alter: If a stressful situation cannot be avoided, learn to alter it. As already mentioned in the first tip, the way you communicate to yourself will determine whether something becomes stressful or not. Instead of bottling up feelings, try to express them. It is also important to be assertive in some situations.
Adopt: Try to look at your problems from a more positive angle. Learn to make lemonade out of lemons. Sometimes bad situations can actually turn out to be blessings in disguise. Are you looking at the big picture instead of wallowing in self-pity? Try to see if perfection is the main cause of your stress.
Accept: Accept the things you cannot change. If you lose a loved one, what can you do? As difficult as it is, you will eventually have to learn to accept it. It is part of life. Do not waste time trying to control the uncontrollable. Be grateful for what you are and have.” (https://truestressmanagement.com/positive-ways-to-deal-with-stress/)
Be aware of what is going on around you in your life and those of the ones you love. If you feel stress is beginning to take a negative impact on your life, take a moment and reflect over some of these tips. For more help, there are dozens of websites that can help guide you on how to deal with stress. If you feel completely overwhelmed, I would encourage you to seek out a mental health professional to help guide you through the process of destressing your world and living a fuller and happier life. I hope everyone has a stress-free Tax Day, take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.
Wm Reid
Best Home Care Services
325 N Eastern Ave
Connersville, IN 47331
765-827-9833
wmreid@bhcshealth.com