How Do You Manage Emotional Stress?
No matter who you are or what you do – if you are living here on this earth, you are encountering stress at one time or another, some of us more than others and for some of us, more OFTEN than others! It doesn’t matter how old you are either – you can be 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 65, 75, well you get the point. We are all dealing with different types of stressors, young or old.
Children Are Under Stress Too:
With all of the problems we are dealing with as adults, such as paying the bills, supporting our families, holding down jobs, dealing with health issues – it is easy to think of children as not 
having these problems and “having it easy.” That is because we sometimes look back on our lives and wish that we could go back to being a child again, and not have to deal with all of these adult responsibilities.
But children have their own stresses to deal with and in their own little minds, these are BIG problems. To a child in kindergarten, trying to understand why they are struggling with reading or writing, or learning that they are “different,” and wondering if they will get “in trouble,” these issues are HUGE to them.
They are not able to comprehend the problems we have as adults and it is a good thing, too, because their problems in kindergarten are big enough for them to handle. I bring this up because as adults, we tend to think back to when we are children and remember the days of not having to worry about paying the bills or being responsible for jobs or other people, and sometimes we forget that being little can be hard too.
As Adults, Problems Mount On Top Of Problems:
As adults, we find ourselves in a downright panic at times, wondering how we are going to get the bills paid, how we are going to survive and how we are going to live up to the responsibilities that come with being a grown-up. It probably isn’t even up to debate anymore that financial survival is a burden that most of us are challenged with, due to the recent changes in the economy, inflation, and incomes that can’t keep up with the rising cost of living.
And Then We Get Older ….
And just when we thought that was more than we could handle, we get older. Along with that comes the additional burden of health issues and waking up one day and realizing that we don’t have the energy that we used to have. And then we think, we still have the same problems but now we are too tired to deal with them.
So, How Do We Cope?
So, how do we cope with it all? We work harder. The bills get higher. And this is just the day-to-day that we are talking about. What happens when we are faced with a real crisis on top of it all? Our emotions go topsy-turvy and it begins to take a toll on us. Where do we turn? What do we do? How do we get it under control?
Why This Is An Opportunity:
This is just my opinion, but I believe that the opportunity has come for all of us to make the decision to do our best to make the world a better place for future generations! We can look at this in one of two ways:
- “Whoa is me” – the world has gone to hell in a handbasket.
- We have an excellent opportunity to make the world a better place.
Stress Wreaks Havoc On Our Emotions:
Over time, if we do not get control of the situation, stress will throw our emotions far out of control. And when our emotions get out of control – everything gets out of balance. Our immune system gets out of balance, our hormones get out of balance, and our bodies become bombarded with stress hormones that can make us physically sick.
So, What Is The Cure?
A close friend of mine told me one day that she recently read an article that said we all influence (or have an impact on) a minimum of 10,000 people in our lives. Then she told me that this article begged the question, “How do you want to influence them, in a positive way or in a negative way?” Hmmmm.
Here is where the opportunity comes in. We can channel that stress or those emotions into something that gives us a positive purpose. Yes, you heard me right. What is your PURPOSE? Serving others is a wonderful way to feel good about ourselves, knowing we have made a positive difference in this world. There is a saying that I recently heard that is a new personal favorite of mine, “When you get nervous, be of service.”
Here’s The Deal:
Here’s the real deal – you have skills, talents, and knowledge that you can use to help other people. Yes, it is true. We all do. Sure, we all have our faults. We all have our weaknesses. We all make mistakes. I am asking you to give yourself a break today. Stop focusing on your faults and mistakes, just for a minute.
And ask yourself, “What about your good qualities? What about the things that you have experience in, knowledge about? What have you learned that you can use to help other people?”
Who Do You Admire?
Who is it that you admire the most? What author, movie star or other influential people out there do you look up to? Why do you look up to them? How could you be like them? What can you do to make a positive difference in this world? What if you were one of the small children in this world today? What could you do (as an adult) to make the world a better place for their future?
It Is Time For Us To Turn The World Around For Future Generations:
A lot of people have made a lot of mistakes that have put the world in a challenging situation. But, just for today, let’s forget about them!
Yes, to heck with them. They don’t deserve our attention unless we are part of the solution. Imagine that right this second, the destiny of the future generations is in our hands! Maybe we could get even with those who made this world (more than slightly) difficult! One way to do this is by turning the tide around for the little people who are growing up in today’s world.
Maybe a good way to take our minds off of our own troubles is to channel that into the future generations. As adults, maybe it is our responsibility to not repeat the mistakes of our ancestors. But here is the good news – this means that you have an opportunity to leave the world a better place than you found it! A much better place!
This Is Exciting!!
The point is that this is exciting news – an incredible opportunity, for the adults living in this world today. Think about this for just a minute. If we all channeled or redirected our stress into our individual purpose to turn this whole thing around for future generations, this gives us the opportunity to leave this world with a sense of personal satisfaction, knowing that we played a role in improving the world for the next generation and maybe even generations to come.
Forgive me for getting carried away. My only excuse is that I’m a grandma now (Gamma) and I can’t help it! So, maybe this is selfish – I want my grandchildren to live in a better world! What about your children or grandchildren? What would you like to do to help leave the world a better place for them? I would love to hear your opinion!
Click Here to Find Out My Number One Recommendation for Managing Emotional Stress!
This is one of the ways that I deal with emotional stress. How do you deal with emotional stress? Please share your ideas in the comments below!
