Our world is not just chaotic, it is volatile, it is ambiguous, it is uncertain. Now, more than ever with Brexit an ever-present uncertainty in our lives; always-on technology; social media and press reminding us at the perfection we need to attain and the happiness we need to feel; having to achieve more with fewer resources; the rate of change; reliance on technology which changes without warning and technology breaking down when you have a deadline to meet, it’s hardly surprising stress levels are so high. You can’t even watch the news without seeing other news relayed to you in text below the main story. It is relentless.
The 4th to 8th November marks Stress Awareness Week. A time to reflect on your stress and do something about it. Some people sail through some things which others find stressful and yet suffer from things which others don’t. We are meant to be different, yet judge ourselves for being so and for what we perceive as weaknesses.
It serves us well to remember that we are human and that perfection is not a human condition; that we can only do what is possible; that whatever you are going through, this too shall pass. And finally, that it is only challenge which makes us stronger, as long as you approach it in the right way.
Stress Awareness Questions
How would you rate your stress awareness currently?
How does this differ from usual?
What do you put this down to?
Whats are your current stressors?
What can you do to address them in a healthy way?
Stress Resilience Strategies
For stress resilience you need radical self-care, summarised in the slide below.
One of my favourite thinking patterns for stress resilience is from The Serenity Prayer:
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference
Using the simple approach of The Serenity Prayer in conjunction with the Stress Resilience Strategies, you can achieve a great deal. Of course there is a lot of depth to each of these strategies but you know where to come if you need extra help. I can be reached on 0345 130 0854.
In the meantime, you might want to visit my page about stress. And even better, if you want to tackle something in a more focused way, offload, gain perspective and a way forward one-on-one with a professional, visit here.
You’ll be glad you did.
© Tricia Woolfrey