It is essential you learn who you are when you're under stress. From there, adapting is necessary and will have a positive impact on your overall health and mind.
How would someone describe you when you are under a lot of pressure compared to how you handle yourself in normal circumstances? Hopefully, it isn't Jekyll and Hyde; however, for (if they are honest), it most likely is.
Without a doubt, our world is changing with a multitude of daily demands, and dealing with unexpected situations that are out of our control like COVID-19 impacts us negatively. It is always on our mind creating a feeling of fear, causing additional stress in our lives. Building our resilience helps us work through stressors and positively impact us.
Do you pay attention to the warning signs?
Not all stress is indeed bad, but you need to know the difference between good and bad stress. We must get to know our significant stressors to manage their impact on us. Fear creates healthy stress that kicks in when you need it most; it helps your mind focus when something serious happens. Such as, in an emergency, when your actions can make the difference between life and death. Good stress can also assist you when you are delivering a presentation or writing a test; it provides you with the motivation to get the job done.
Not all stress is good.
Being aware of the negative impact stress causes, including side effects like physical, mental, and emotional aches and pains, are extremely important. Negative stress can have a powerful influence on our mind resulting in us overreacting under challenging situations or experiencing physical issues, such as digestive problems, weight fluctuation, heart disease, depression, to name a few. Our self-care is paramount in contending with the impact of stress.
Remember, stress impacts everyone differently. Learning to deal with it will change your quality of life. It takes strong self-awareness to support your mind and body when combating stress. Be sure to listen to your body when it signals distress; that way, you can take notice and recharge your system before you suffer from irreversible damage.
Begin today by getting to know yourself when under stress—reflecting on how it impacts you. This information will empower you and prepare you for challenging situations. Connect with me for support to develop these skills. Discover my consulting opportunities and emotional intelligence training.
This article was originally published on February 12, 2017, and has been updated (June 2020)
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