Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you felt like your stress levels were so high, you couldn’t even think straight? This used to be us everyday! Stress seems like that guest that you never wanted to invite but comes anyway and never wants to leave. So, what’s really stressing you out? It’s quite essential that we figure out what our stressors are. How else can we even get rid of them?
We think it’s funny how we usually claim to know what stresses us out. But if we’re being completely honest, we might need to dig a bit deeper to understand the real sources of our stress. It’s like thinking we know what’s in our messy closet until we really sort through everything to find out what’s hiding in the back.
Have you ever found yourself saying, “Oh, I’m just very busy right now, but it’ll get better soon”? But then you realize, soon has turned into months, or even years, and things haven’t changed? Yeah, we’ve all been there. It’s like saying we’re holding our breath underwater just a little while longer, but we’ve been underwater for five years now.
Or do we sometimes think of stress as just a natural part of our work or family life? It’s as if we’re saying, Oh, things are always a bit chaotic here. That’s just how it is. But, is that really how we want to live?
And here’s a tough one – do we ever find ourselves blaming our stress on everyone and everything else? It’s as if we’re pointing at everything passing by and saying, That’s it, that’s why I’m stressed. It can feel simpler to think of stress as something that’s just happening to us, rather than something we have a role in.
The truth is, until we accept that we have a part to play in creating or maintaining our stress, we’re kind of handing over our control to it. It’s like giving the keys of our car to our stress and saying, Here, you drive. And let’s be honest, stress is a terrible driver. Awful!
So, what do we think we can do? Let’s start by taking a really close look at our habits, attitudes, and the excuses we use. Are we avoiding certain tasks until the last minute? Or convincing ourselves that everything is always going to be chaotic? Are we making excuses for why we’re always stressed? We’re asking these questions, so we can provide the answers and get it right.
By identifying our stressors in these aspects, we can start to take small steps to address them. It’s not about a complete change overnight. We all know that’s a bit unrealistic. However, it’s more like gently nudging ourselves in a direction that feels a bit lighter, a bit less burdened with these stressors— baby steps.
Remember, figuring out what’s really stressing us out isn’t about blaming ourselves. It’s about understanding ourselves better and taking gentle steps towards a calmer, happier life. And in this journey, we’re all together, figuring it out one step at a time.
So, let’s take a deep breath, give ourselves a little hug, and start doing the work with kindness and curiosity. We use compassion, we think with patience, and we walk this path together, hand in hand. Stress doesn’t stand a chance when we’ve got each other.
And lastly, please keep a stress journal. An easy way to start is by keeping a note on your phone. Every time you feel stressed, take note of what brought it about, how you felt physically and emotionally, how you responded and how you can make yourself feel better. Trust us, you’ll have a journal full of identified stressors in no time. Then, we can start cutting them out step by step.
