In other words, stress gives us the opportunity to grow emotionally, physically and even spiritually, more so than if we\u2019re \u201cdrifting along without any stress,\u201d Dr. Reinold said.<\/p>\n
For many of us, the problem with stress is that it can easily become overwhelming, especially if we don\u2019t have the tools to navigate it effectively. The great news is that we can<\/em> navigate it effectively when we adopt several key strategies. In fact, we can make stress work for us.<\/p>\n First, it\u2019s important to understand what stress looks like for you. Pay attention to the situations that you deem to be stressful, said Michele Kerulis, EdD, LCPC, a professor with Counseling@Northwestern, Northwestern University\u2019s\u00a0Online Masters in Counseling\u00a0Program<\/a> and an executive committee member of the American Counseling Association. She suggested keeping a journal, and jotting down where you frequently experience stress (maybe at work or at home or during a specific activity). Then reflect on how you react to stress: What psychological and physical symptoms do you notice when stress strikes? Finally, she said, explore what stress means to you. How do you<\/em> define stress?<\/p>\n As you\u2019re identifying your personal stress patterns, consider using these strategies for capitalizing on stress, so you can create more fulfilling, less stressful days. This is also helpful when thinking about your job, Cohen said: \u201cAre you being compensated for the amount of stress you are experiencing? Is the job supportive to stress experienced by employees? If you feel more stress than fulfillment, then that could be a signal to make a bigger change in your life.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s causing you stress, and is it truly worth it? Or do you need to make some adjustments or pivotal decisions?<\/p>\n Use stress to spark self-care. <\/strong>\u201cWe can use stress to help us take better care of ourselves, since stress often makes our bodies signal louder than usual,\u201d said Lauren Canonico<\/a>, LCSW, a psychotherapist who offers affirmative counseling and therapy to adults and teens, and clinical consulting services to individuals and organizations in New York City.<\/p>\n For example, your thoughts won\u2019t stop bouncing around inside your head, and you realize that you need to burn off some of that energy with a dance class or brisk walk, she said. Or you\u2019re feeling tired, and you decide to take a break and lie down on the couch or meditate for 5 minutes or read a magazine or take a restorative yoga class.<\/p>\n Either way, stress invites us to honor our bodies\u2014if we actually listen and act. Reinold, author of the book Let Your Heart Out<\/a><\/em>, shared these examples: Your work situation is stressful, but right now you need the money and can\u2019t change jobs. You decide to schedule regular fun lunch dates to lighten up your mood. You\u2019re a stay-at-home mom who often feels lonely. You decide to join a local mom\u2019s group, and hire a sitter so you can get together with your best friend once a week.<\/p>\n As Reinold emphasized, \u201cThere is always something, even if small, that you can control in stressful situations.\u201d<\/p>\n Use stress to get energized.<\/strong> According to Kerulis, stress can boost our motivation and sharpen our focus. \u201cIf we think about stress in a more positive way, we have the control to interpret stressful situations in a way that we can use to reach our goals.\u201d<\/p>\n That is, Kerulis was working with a public speaker who was terrified and would shake before going on stage. Kerulis helped the client to refocus on their meaningful message. \u201cI encouraged the speaker to take deep breaths to slow down the stress response of increased respiration and to refocus the stressful energy into excitement to share with the audience.\u201d Once the speaker changed their mindset, the unpleasant physiological symptoms decreased, and the speech was incredible, Kerulis said.<\/p>\n How can you use the energy of stress to work on your goals and desires?<\/p>\n Use stress to delve deeper.<\/strong> Stress can reveal the deeper work we might still need to do, Canonico said. For example, you\u2019ve got a performance review coming up, and you\u2019re stressed about it. Yes, you\u2019re likely stressed because your work is important to you, and you want to make sure you\u2019re doing a good job. Maybe you\u2019re also anticipating a bad review, which is certainly stressful. But as Canonico said, this might stem not from fears about your job performance, but from fears around your self-worth. Consequently, you decide to see a therapist to further explore and strengthen your self-worth, so outside influences don\u2019t sink or batter it.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re faced with a stressful situation, it can help to ask yourself such questions, Canonico said: What am I afraid will happen? Is this stress purely about the present situation, or am I feeling shame (or something else) from a past situation?<\/p>\n Stress doesn\u2019t always have to be so stressful. We can harness stress. We can use stress as a valuable signal and as an opportunity to find solutions, practice self-care, accomplish our goals, and learn important information about ourselves.<\/p>\n Visit Original Source<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Stress is always seen as a negative, awful thing. And sometimes it really is a negative, awful thing. After all, stress is rough on our bodies. It might raise our heart rate and blood pressure. It might trigger headaches and tension. It might prevent us from being able to rest <\/p>\n Read More<\/a>
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\nUse stress as a barometer.<\/strong> Stress can help us better understand whether something is actually worth it. For example, maybe you\u2019re in a relationship that\u2019s become stressful, so you decide to sort out whether you\u2019d like to stay by exploring whether \u201cthe stress level [is] justified by the level of fulfillment it is bringing to your life,\u201d said Alyson Cohen<\/a>, LCSW, a psychotherapist who specializes in working with adolescents, families and young adults in New York City.<\/p>\n
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\nUse stress to create solutions.<\/strong> Stress is a sign that something isn\u2019t working, which transforms it into an opportunity to find effective, creative solutions for the parts of the situation you can control.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Shared by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S., Contributing Blogger<\/a> February 6, 2019<\/p>\n