How you handle stress — it’s how you handle everything
I am one of those people who gets stressed over anything. For instance, I get stressed when I am rushing out of the house and I know I am going to be late. I worry about what I am going to say, how sorry I am and so on. I think of all possible scenarios and how I could make it on time if I did this or that. If I could have just left a house a minute earlier I would have made the train and this train will be one stop further than I am now. All this worry and for what? It doesn’t do any good for me.
I do really get stressed out. The most recent “breakout” was when my husband and I were rushing to the airport. I honestly didn’t think we are going to make the flight. We had to check-in the suitcase and go through the security. We left the house at 09:50 the flight was at 10:55. I was sweating. I was worried. I was stressing. I was trying to calm myself by thinking what’s the worst could happen, we’ll only miss the flight and get on the next one. But it doesn’t help. I was super stressed and what for?
My husband didn’t even break the sweat. He was as calm as a cucumber. He doesn’t seem to “break” under pressure, in fact, the pressure makes him calmer. We did make the flight. While on the flight I thought a lot about the pressure, stress and how one handles it. I am a real wreck. My husband, on the other hand, calm, collected and focused. And then it hit me, it’s how you handle stress it’s how you handle everything in life.
Everything in life is learned. I must have learned it from somewhere. After all, there wouldn’t be much work for coaches, psychiatrists, and hypnotherapist. Stress is a number one contributor to cancer and other serious illnesses. It’s popular to talk about stress and heal stress with all the possible therapies. Oh wait, there’s a whole beauty industry too! They have all sorts of beauty products for stressed face, relaxing massages, facials and so on. The idea of stress is marketed and quite sinister.
Stress is a big these days. People often say “don’t stress about it” it’s going to be ok. Stress is so bad for you and so on. It’s popular to say “I am so stressed out” because then you need to do something for yourself. For example, you need a relaxing holiday. You need a relaxing massage or something. The industries such as health, travel, beauty get the benefits from the “stress”. When in real fact there’s no stress in a first place. It’s made up in my head. Why do I need to stress when I am getting from A to B?
The real stress, however, exist. What I mean by the real stress is when you have no roof over your head, you have no food, yours or your family health is poor (god forbid) — that’s a real stress. These things can and it does stress one out. However, this stress makes one do something to help your family or start something that could get one out of a situation.
This stress doesn’t feed the marketing tank. “My stress” and the stress I am talking about is not a real stress. It’s a made up term. I am a perfect victim of marketing to heal stress; go on retreats to de-stress, relax and etc. I am on a mission to stop nonsensical stress! If not for all at least for me.
The solution and the steps to take to stop me from stressing out on things that really don’t matter are here. If you’d like to join me on a free, no marketing nonsense journey you are most welcome! From now on, before I stress out I will think of these simple steps:
Focus on where you are going
It’s simple but effective. I need this when I am stressing out when I know I am going to be late. It’s important to remember all I have to do is get from A to B and focus on that. Stop all the outside noise. Once I start worrying and thinking of all apologies; it’s the nonsense, the noise, the distractions I don’t need. Instead, just focus on where you are going. It’s like being on the horse. Focus on where you are going and forget the rest.
Have a cup of tea / see the bigger picture
When I think I am stressed I need to think of a bigger picture and where does that fit in. Suddenly the annoying voice in my head disappears. The stress and worry vanish. How does me being late for the plane really affect me? Am I injured? Is my health ok? Is my family’s health ok? Do I have food and a roof over my head?
If all of it yes then this worry/“stress” is made up and is not real. I used to worry so much about my job. I lost sleep over it. Today, it’s irrelevant. Why stress about it? Focus on what matters, the real things, this “stress” is like an annoying mosquito, it will die and you still be here doing what you do best one hopes.
One step at the time
“I want it now” is not a way forward. The culture of fast food, fast business, fast dating and fast everything I need to stop and take a moment. You cannot have summer without mosquitos it is the same with everything else. It will be hiccups and difficulties all I have to do is keep going. One foot in front of the other no matter how easy or hard — one step at a time.
It’s how you handle stress it’s how you handle everything in life. If I am calm, focused and relaxed I make better decisions; I am more ‘with it’; I achieve more. If I am a wreck what do I gain from it? Nothing. I lose a few cells in my body.
It’s like eating a cheesy chicken which then leads you to a heart attack. One hand gives (sells a heart attack) the other takes away (holiday, health and beauty). If you think you are stressed some health, beauty, travel industry will benefit from your so-called stress.
We are smarter than the trends. We know better. We know health, warm home, and food matter more than the nonsense stress. Let’s not fall for the stress that doesn’t matter. Live stress-free.
