Stress - Tell It To F*** Off!

Stress.

We hear the word and shoulders everywhere tighten up. No one wants to let stress in, or admit they already have done so. Stress is looked at these days kind of like the way we breathe in pollutants all day long and we say nothing. We just live with it - another pollutant.

Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response. Psychologist Connie Lillas uses a driving analogy to describe the three most common ways people respond when they’re overwhelmed by stress:

• Foot on the gas – An angry or agitated stress response. You’re heated, keyed up, overly emotional, and unable to sit still.
• Foot on the brake – A withdrawn or depressed stress response. You shut down, space out, and show very little energy or emotion.
• Foot on both – A tense and frozen stress response. You “freeze” under pressure and can’t do anything. You look paralyzed, but under the surface you’re extremely agitated.

I was always the 'foot on the gas' stressed out person. I could get it done if you just  got out of my way - and when I couldn't, I never quit just in case I could. It was irrational and ridiculous to even think I should have to stress myself over anything.

I remember back when I had to leave my house to go to work, the winter weather would make me nuts. I was stressed out every night going to bed wondering how the highway drive in to work would be the next day. I would play out scenarios about my husband and child in a car together - the 'worries' we create out of nothing are simply our silly selves creating unnecessary stress.

I was also the type of gal who never admitted to having stress.

First things first - we have to admit it.  We all have some elements of stress in our lives - it is how we deal with it that counts. If we find ourselves displaying behaviors as seen in the lists above, some adjustments are on the way. Everything can cause us to lose our ability to cope if we let it.

Our coping skills matter. Do you have innovative ways of dealing with stress? Share in the comments section.....and then tell stress to f*** off. ;)

Thanks to this website for the information!