An Easier Way To Handle Stress

C. Pratt
www.Life-With-Confidence.com

How well do you handle stress? Would you like an easier way to handle stress?

Think back to the last big problem or crisis you had to deal with? Try to remember what was the most stressful part about it? Can you remember?

Most likely, the most stressful aspect was imagining all the possible consequences that might occur due to that certain event. For example, if your car broke down, you might have suddenly started imagining yourself not having a car anymore or dealing with huge repair bills or being late for an appointment or even losing your job over it.

It’s these thoughts which cause you far more stress than the actual problem.

I just went through this myself and the good news is that I realized there's an easier way to handle stress.

During our latest Spring thunderstorm, water began to pour in through my kitchen ceiling through numerous different holes. Imagine one of those old Western movies where the family is huddled in the corner holding on to frying pans and bowls trying to catch all the rain pouring in. That was the scene in my kitchen. The roof is only 3 years old so this shouldn’t be happening yet it was and with a vengeance. So, as I put out numerous buckets and bowls and towels to catch all the drips, I found myself getting depressed.

When I stopped to think about why I was getting depressed, I suddenly realized I was stressed about things that hadn’t even happened yet. I was thinking, “How am I going to pay for a new roof?” and then thinking of all sorts of horrible things that would happen because I had no idea where the money was going to come from.

I didn't even know how much a new roof would cost yet here I was worrying that I wouldn't be able to pay for it. I also didn't even know if getting a new roof was the solution. My mind had decided to imagine every wild and crazy and negative thought it could come up with causing me to feel very stressed and depressed.

It made me think of an Eckhart Tolle Eckhart Tolle quote that says,

“A great deal of what people say, think, or do is actually motivated by fear, which of course is always linked with having your focus on the future and being out of touch with the Now. As there are no problems in the Now, there is no fear either.”

As soon, as I realized this and stopped imagining all the future disasters, it wasn’t a problem anymore. The feelings of depression instantly lifted. The situation no longer seemed completely overwhelming and I knew I could deal with it.

It was amazing how much this caused the experience to change. The problem was the same but I realized I made the decision as to whether it would be one full of stress, worry, and anxiety or I could choose to simply take action with what was in front of me while staying completely calm. It was actually a relief to let the unknowns go. This turned out to be a much easier way to handle stress.

It wasn’t until I decided to become aware of my thinking during a crisis that I realized how much time I waste imagining the worst possible consequences. It’s these thoughts which seem to take over and not only cause more stress but make it much more difficult to deal with the immediate problem.

So, here are my tips for the best way to handle stress:

- During times of stress become aware of what you’re feeling. If you’re feeling angry or frustrated or depressed then start to question your thoughts. What are you thinking about; the current situation or the possible consequences?

- If you catch yourself thinking about what you're afraid might happen (big bills, having to get a new roof), you’re focusing on future things that may never occur. Let those thoughts go. They don’t serve you. They only make the situation much more difficult than it needs to be.

- Bring yourself back to the present moment and simply deal with what’s in front of you without the added “stories”.

- Remind yourself that it’s always your choice as to how you react to an event.

As soon as you’ve done this once, you’re going to be amazed at what a difference this makes. Not only do you feel far less stressed, you feel far more in control of the situation. You'll never want to go back to the other way of dealing with stressful situations again.

More Help To Deal With Stress

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