Stress Management Challenge: Exploring Our Beliefs about Stress

Happy Monday!

Welcome and thank you for participating in this challenge to proactively manage, reduce, and prevent stress! Today is Day 1 of the Stress Management Challenge and we're defining stress and exploring our beliefs about stress.

Let's get started! According to the American Institute of Stress, stress can most commonly be defined as, "physical, mental, and emotional strain or tension" or "a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize."

Now as we consider those definitions of stress, I think it's important to consider how stress is typically depicted. Oftentimes when we think of stress there tends to be a negative focus on the negative feelings and emotions it produces. Initially, I viewed stress through this lens, but over time I had to train my mind to not view stress so negatively and instead view stress as a signal for when I need to slow down, come back to center, or release control.

As we continue to explore this idea, take a few minutes to watch the video below regarding the fascinating research about how we can shift the way we view stress.

Today, I CHALLENGE YOU to sit with yourself for 5-10 minutes to explore your beliefs about stress. To do this take a blank sheet of paper, fold it in half and create two columns, label the first column "old beliefs" and the second "new beliefs." In the first column write all the words and thoughts that come to mind when you think of stress. Next, examine the first column and use the second column to reframe the words and/or thoughts you initially listed.

Lastly, please feel free to drop your comments.

Have an amazing day, 

Iyana