As I sat in my commander’s office, I thought to myself, “Am I the best person to write about stress?” After all, I am a new first sergeant, new to an overseas location and new to the line-side of the Air Force. What could I possibly know about stress?
We all have stress, and we all deal with it differently. At what point does a person take control of the factors of stress in life or succumb to the pressure of it all?
What is the first word that comes to mind when I mention the word stress? Is it work, family, home or money? We all have stress in our lives; it is a constant. It may have a completely negative connotation, or stress may be a positive motivator. According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, stress is defined as a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work, etc.; something that causes strong feelings or worry and anxiety; physical force or pressure.
Upon further reflection, I decided that some of my experiences may be applicable. For example, the simple task of trying to write about stress caused me stress. Should I make a laundry list of all the stressful things in my life? This list would exceed the space available for this article.
Instead I thought, let’s take a few moments to really flesh out ways to deal with, react or counter stress. The idea is to recognize and manage the negative and positive aspects of stress. Stress awareness is another tool to place in your tool kit when times get tough.
Just as I referenced the dictionary, AFI 44-153, Traumatic Stress Response, defines typical and normal stress responses as: feeling keyed up, on edge and restless; hyper-vigilance; exaggerated startle response; irritability or outburst of anger; sadness and crying; fatigue; difficulty concentrating or preoccupation with a traumatic event; muscle tension; sleep disturbances (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless unsatisfying sleep); appetite disturbances (forgetting to eat or drink). Obviously, these are examples of the negative attributes linked with stress.
Identifying the source of the stress and accepting when the situation is beyond your personal control are ways to put stress in a positive light.
Having a good attitude can also go a long way to help discover solutions to stress problems. For instance, if what’s currently happening is going to be unimportant in five years, it may not be worth the worry. Learning from stress is an optimistic tactic to gain insight regarding the experience. Lastly, viewing the circumstances in level of importance can help people cope with stress.
So, we know about negative and positive stressors. How do we react and counter them? Unhealthy and harmful ways to deal with stress include smoking, drinking, over- or under-eating, withdrawing from family or friends, sleeping too much or procrastinating.
Healthy and progressive stress management includes listening to music, getting a massage, playing with a pet, taking a walk, reading a good book, watching a comedy, writing in a journal, playing a sport, calling a good friend, hunting or fishing, working in a garden, walking, running or working out. As you can see, the list of good or constructive stress management is longer.
The main idea is to change our perceptions and reframe failures or shortcomings to new opportunities. In relation to stress, you should not think of things as all or nothing. Be compassionate with yourself and concentrate on the positive in the situation.
Stress happens to all of us. The key is not letting it overwhelm you. By simply acknowledging that you have stress in your life, you have faced the challenge head-on.
Knowing your foe or enemy helps you prepare for the battle. After recognition, you must choose how to react or counter stress. Most importantly, know when your stress level has exceeded your ability to cope and seek help. When in need, asking for help is truly a sign of strength.
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As I sat in my commander’s office, I thought to myself, “Am I the best person to write about stress?” After all, I am a new first sergeant, new to an overseas location and new to the line-side of the Air Force. What could I possibly know about stress?
We all have stress, and we all deal with it differently. At what point does a person take control of the factors of stress in life or succumb to the pressure of it all?
What is the first word that comes to mind when I mention the word stress? Is it work, family, home or money? We all have stress in our lives; it is a constant. It may have a completely negative connotation, or stress may be a positive motivator. According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, stress is defined as a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work, etc.; something that causes strong feelings or worry and anxiety; physical force or pressure.
Upon further reflection, I decided that some of my experiences may be applicable. For example, the simple task of trying to write about stress caused me stress. Should I make a laundry list of all the stressful things in my life? This list would exceed the space available for this article.
Instead I thought, let’s take a few moments to really flesh out ways to deal with, react or counter stress. The idea is to recognize and manage the negative and positive aspects of stress. Stress awareness is another tool to place in your tool kit when times get tough.
Just as I referenced the dictionary, AFI 44-153, Traumatic Stress Response, defines typical and normal stress responses as: feeling keyed up, on edge and restless; hyper-vigilance; exaggerated startle response; irritability or outburst of anger; sadness and crying; fatigue; difficulty concentrating or preoccupation with a traumatic event; muscle tension; sleep disturbances (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless unsatisfying sleep); appetite disturbances (forgetting to eat or drink). Obviously, these are examples of the negative attributes linked with stress.
Identifying the source of the stress and accepting when the situation is beyond your personal control are ways to put stress in a positive light.
Having a good attitude can also go a long way to help discover solutions to stress problems. For instance, if what’s currently happening is going to be unimportant in five years, it may not be worth the worry. Learning from stress is an optimistic tactic to gain insight regarding the experience. Lastly, viewing the circumstances in level of importance can help people cope with stress.
So, we know about negative and positive stressors. How do we react and counter them? Unhealthy and harmful ways to deal with stress include smoking, drinking, over- or under-eating, withdrawing from family or friends, sleeping too much or procrastinating.
Healthy and progressive stress management includes listening to music, getting a massage, playing with a pet, taking a walk, reading a good book, watching a comedy, writing in a journal, playing a sport, calling a good friend, hunting or fishing, working in a garden, walking, running or working out. As you can see, the list of good or constructive stress management is longer.
The main idea is to change our perceptions and reframe failures or shortcomings to new opportunities. In relation to stress, you should not think of things as all or nothing. Be compassionate with yourself and concentrate on the positive in the situation.
Stress happens to all of us. The key is not letting it overwhelm you. By simply acknowledging that you have stress in your life, you have faced the challenge head-on.
Knowing your foe or enemy helps you prepare for the battle. After recognition, you must choose how to react or counter stress. Most importantly, know when your stress level has exceeded your ability to cope and seek help. When in need, asking for help is truly a sign of strength.