Lots of
people have learned to tame stress by refusing to accept defeat in the face of
negative forces. Instead, they meet stress head on, with a positive outcome. In
other words, if you can use a negative event (like losing a job) to motivate
you to take positive action (like getting a better job), you can beat stress at
its own game.
Here are
some suggestions:
- Try not to think of setbacks as defeats.
- View stress as an energizer. Consider each new demand as a challenge, no matter how forbidding it may seem.
- Always ask yourself, “What’s the best that can happen?” rather than “What’s the worst possible outcome?”
- Take charge. Although you can’t control other people’s actions, you can control your response to what comes your way. When it comes to managing your emotions, you’re the boss.
- Don’t try to please everyone – you can’t.
- Get the big picture. Think in terms of long-range goals, not just day-to-day problems.
Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American
Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com
