Simplifying Stress
Stress can be defined as the degree to which you feel overwhelmed or unable to cope as a result of pressures that are unmanageable.
Life is fast paced with more expectations, obligations and choices than ever before.
From the moment we open our eyes in the morning with the unpleasant screech of the alarm or the blare of the radio, we are catapulted into another day.
On waking, we are flooded with thoughts. We might respond by jumping out of bed and throwing ourselves into action, or, we might hide beneath the covers dreading the unavoidable day ahead.
Either way, we start the day already in autopilot mode.
Once we start the day in that fashion it is not easy to find a sense of balance.
Stress does not only occur in response to unpleasant or unpredictable events such as a flat tyre, an unexpected bill, traffic jams or fallout with a friend.
Stress can also be a part of happy experiences. Think about preparing for your wedding day, buying your first home or starting a new job.
Stress can occur when our days are filled with repetitive, boring, unrewarding and meaningless tasks.
All of these common situations cause a very high state of activity in our mind and body. Regardless of the situation which causes the stress, if we neglect to recognise it and do something about it, this can lead to various types of disease. From a physiological point of view our body is constantly in overdrive which is unpleasant and unhealthy.
“We all live in a chronic state of stress; that is the norm for the vast majority of us”
Dr Ivana Matic-Stancin
What can we do about stress?
How can we help ourselves to cope with daily life, and to reduce that constant tension within our body, mind and relationships?
How can we change that unhealthy state into a calm, balanced and healthy state of being?
There are many ways we can combat stress. One important way is to become aware of our feelings, emotions and mood. It is only when we start paying attention to our feelings, emotions and mood that we can do something about them.
Think about driving a car. If we pay attention to the sound of the engine and it changes, we know something is potentially wrong. This enables us to put steps in place to fix it. If we drive along completely unaware of the sound of the engine, how can we know when something needs our attention?
This is emotional awareness. A skill that can help us develop emotional awareness is called mindfulness.
Mindfulness is about being present in the here and now whilst being emotionally aware.