As cliche as it sounds, stress kills. If you’ve never experienced stress levels that suck the life out of you and actually affect your physical health then you are a lucky person. Many people have no idea how detrimental extreme stress can be to their health. Gone long enough, stress becomes something that many of us begin to get used to. This is a very dangerous scenario.
Stress at work is a big problem for many in our society. We frequently find ourselves in a position in our work places where we feel like we can’t speak out or speak up. This ends up causing stress that can’t be efficiently dealt with. Many times this is an issue as a result of a work environment that does not place importance on their employees. Sometimes, though, this stress can be a direct result of an employee’s lack of ability to deal with his/her own stress appropriately. Try to determine which of these two descriptions apply to you and your stress levels. Be open to examining the part that you yourself are playing in your stress levels.
Learning to address issues that create stress is the first step towards becoming responsible for your choices and being accountable for the results of those choices. You have the ability to reduce your stress levels even if you don’t have the ability to change your work environment. Changing your perception of others is a good place to start. You must honestly reflect on whether or not the person/people causing you stress are intentionally making the choice to do so. Usually, the person you hold responsible for your stress has no clue about their participation in your stress levels and most certainly did not intend to cause these issues for you. Are you taking things too personally? Are you being open to examining the part you are playing in this matter? Think long and hard about the fact that you may be unknowingly blaming others and not recognizing the part you are playing. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and try letting go of any prior judgment. See how you feel. Do you still feel like you carry no responsibility in the stress being felt?
If stress is poisoning your life take the time to search out ways to handle your stress by changing your response to stress. Many simple techniques can be implemented to change the way you perceive your stress and your environment. You have nothing to lose in being open to changing yourself and your reactions. Most importantly, learning knew ways of letting go of stress will save your from many difficult repercussions.