I accept that stress in an inevitable part of my life and I let go of the idea that I can fight against it and make it disappear. Instead, I recognize it as a valuable asset in my life, one that my body is learning to use as a motivational tool.Â
I appreciate the way that stress makes me get up off my seat and take action.
Stress alerts me when something needs to be addressed so I can stay on top of situations that I might otherwise be tempted to ignore or forget.
In healthy doses, stress sharpens my focus so I can concentrate and be more productive on the task at hand. It makes me more acutely aware of what is going on around me and equips me to absorb information and make good use of it.
I treat stress as an ally and work with it, rather than against it. However, I resist the impulse to ignore my stress until it has grown to the point that it has lost its beneficial nature and has begun to take a toll on my health and well-being.
By paying attention to my body’s signals, I can tell that stress is no longer being productive and that it has gone beyond the stage where it is encouraging me. When this happens, I view it as a sign to step back, relax, and regroup. Then, when I have done so, I can carry on, with stress in its rightful place as a healthy partner in my life.
Self-Reflection Questions
- Do I view stress as an enemy or an ally?
- Do I pay attention and respond when stress signals that something is wrong?
- Do I allow myself to regroup when stress ceases to work in my favor?
