subject: How To Get Rid Of Stress Before It Starts [print this page] Stress is the leading cause of many ailments in today's busy world. Often times we are under a great deal of stress, but don't realize it until it manifests itself in the form of high blood pressure, headaches, or worse. It can be helpful to have a quit trick handy to defeat stress before it starts.
That's wonderful if you are a high powered manager and can boss individuals about all day, but the majority of of us aren't. Most of us are just struggling to get by, and have to put up with a lot of irritation without much option due to our current situation. What do we do in that position?
First, it's imperative to comprehend that we don't ever unconditionally have to do something. If you think of terms of doing something because you have to, it can become incredibly traumatic. It can help to think in terms of doing something to get a benefit. You have to listen to your boss screaming at you so you can get compensated on Friday. You have to suffer through a extended drive every day so you can afford to live where you live. When you coach yourself to think in terms of actions and rewards, you start to get more power over your situation. We aren't slaves kidnapped and whipped until we drop dead. We make our choices, and we have to live with them.
Another idea that can help is that of expectation. When we are filled with expectations, these are translated into "shoulds" of how other folks ought to behave, or what we "should" receive. But when we establish our expectations only on our experience, and not on some expected idea of how people should behave in an ideal world, we won't be let down. It also helps to keep this "realistic expectation" as neutral as you can. Don't anticipate free candy from everybody you see, but don't expect that everybody will pinch your wallet given half the chance.
One great way to build in this positive anticipation is to discuss everything before hand. When your manager gives you a job at work, be very clear what he or she is asking you to do, and get as much clarification as you can. Or talk with yourself before you depart for work in the morning. Make a decision what time you'll get there if traffic is light, and what time you'll get there if traffic is heavy, and how you'll respond either way. That way you won't be astounded either way.
The main cause of nervous tension is a reaction to the things around us that we cannot control. If we don't expect anything in particular, or we don't have a list in our heads of how others should behave, then we won't be disillusioned, and our nervous tension will logically shrink.
