Stress is a form of communication between outside, environmental factors and our bodies. When we sense threat or danger, our bodies manifest that fear into stress. Typically, when we hear the word “stress”, we associate it with a negative connotation. Not all stress is bad. Stress is a natural form of survival and is our defense and protection against unwanted, unknown, or potentially dangerous circumstances. For example, some experience stress during positive and joyful life transitions. Moving, graduating, and pregnancy are typical life events that people celebrate. However, they all induce some level of stress within us. Short-term stress can be beneficial and utilized as a motivating factor. It can help us prioritize what is important to us and inspire us to achieve the steps necessary towards attaining or bettering that priority.
Stress management is crucial in living and leading a life with joy and peace. By identifying the specific stressors in your life, you can begin to take back control and start living again. One way of identifying stressors is to take a look at your habits and attitudes, then write the stressors down in a journal. In writing the stressor, you can take a closer look at what triggered the stress, your initial emotional response, the ways you reacted verbally and non-verbally, and the manner in which you self-soothed afterwards. Read more