The 4 reasons you’re stressed and how to break free from them
Today was National Stress Awareness Day in the US, a day to take time out to stress out about everything that’s stressing us out, and then stress out about how much we’re stressing ourselves out about stress!
But in all seriousness, it’s a time to reflect on what the stressors are in our lives, and how to either get rid of them, or change our experience of them.
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Stress is a killer. Hypertension and other stress-related illnesses are serious issues of the 21st century, and pills aren’t the answer. Stress is indicated as a major factor in a myriad of other diseases as well—not only as a cause, but as an exacerbating force and an impedance to recovery as well. Not to mention, it sucks.
Below are 4 major categories of stress, and how you can break free of all of them!
1. Fear
Fear and uncertainty are major stressors in our lives. Anxiety about the past, the present, and the future keep many people immobilized with fear. The sad truth is, we spend so much time freaking out about the stuff that’s probably never going to happen, we can’t prepare for what actually does happen, and we’re too exhausted to handle it when it does.
2. Circumstances
Our situation isn’t always ideal—no, actually, it’s never ideal. And for a lot of us, that’s enough to take us out of the game completely. Maybe you’ve been laid off (or you just hate your job!). Maybe you’ve lost a loved one. Whether you’re going through an illness or a divorce, dealing with a relentless addiction or piling debt, our circumstances can place serious stress on us.
3. Environment
The people and places that surround us have a huge impact on our internal wellbeing. It might be a terrible boss or client. Perhaps a spouse that never fails to let you down. From a city you can’t stand to a house that depresses you, from frenemies to negative family, our environment can seem like it’s drowning us in stress.
4. Resistance to change
At times, all of us can want to avoid change. Even when we hate where we are, we can still prefer the coziness of our bubble to the discomfort of change. The truth is, if you hate change, you’re going to hate life. Some say that there’s nothing new under the sun, but that’s just because change is a constant. And change is stressful—but it doesn’t have to be distressful.
How to fix it: make a decision
The simple power of making a decision can never be overestimated. When it comes to fear, we choose what we focus on, and we choose how to react to our thoughts and experiences. We may not be able to change all of our circumstance, but we can choose to make a change to a lot of them. And those we can’t, we get to choose our attitude towards. If your environment sucks, choose to change it. Any part that has to come along with you, change your perspective of. And as for resisting change? Well, we’re only resisting it because of the way we perceive it.
Make a choice. Change your circumstances, your environment, and your perspective. But most importantly, change your attitude! That’s the secret to stress-free life. I know it’s easier said than done, but life will be a whole lot better when you do. It’s a process, so be patient, but in the long run, it is SO worth it!
