Train Your Resistance to Stress and Problems
We live in a society where conflicts and misunderstandings, overload and exhaustion have become a part of our daily lives. The more we grow, the more stress we encounter on a day to day basis. Some of us are more resistant to unpleasant situations, while others get deeply upset if their day did not go the way they planned it. Although it depends on temper and personality, there are still a few tricks that could help you fight stress in a successful way. Here are a few of them.
Blow Off Steam
Especially if you are overloaded at college or work, this method is important to master. Dealing with clients all day, passing difficult exams or getting nervous before a class can all lead to huge accumulation of negative energy and anger. Instead of getting upset on the spot and letting out that energy on innocent bystanders, find a way to blow off steam somewhere else. Many people use extreme sports to free those waves of anger. Another way is to talk to your beloved one, but be sure not to overload them too, especially if they are susceptible to negative emotions. Offer your ear too, if they need to vent.
The So-What Method
Another way to deal with negative emotions is by using the “So-What” technique. Think about a few problems that have caused stress to you recently, you may even write them down. They could vary from “I got a bad grade for my literature test” to “My boss is an idiot”. After saying each of the items out loud, contradict yourself with a “So what?” question.
Sure, you may be able to draw a chain of different answers, like “So I will not pass literature in this semester”, “So I will have to repeat the year”, “So I will stay in college longer”. In the end, it will boil down to a statement that is not as bad, and will show you that nothing earth-shattering is happening, and you still have a path ahead of you.
The Perspective Method
To avoid feeling stressful because of a harmful situation, you can use the perspective method. This technique is used to alleviate the consequences of a fight, a conflict and so on. Ask yourself if this situation will matter in a day, in a week, in a month, in a year and then in five years. You will see how much less your stress will matter with the flowing of time, and you will see that by using another perspective you will calm yourself down.
Burn It
A technique that may sound silly at first, but is actually quite freeing, consists of writing down the causes of your stress on pieces of paper and then taking your time to burn them one by one over a candle flame. Seeing your problems turn to ashes can have a psychological effect that will help you cope.