Your stress does NOT define you.
Everyone experiences stress.
It’s just a part of our lives that can’t be avoided. We tend to think that all stress is bad, but it’s not. Stress is what makes us run from danger or work hard to meet a deadline. But even stress that can be considered “bad” isn’t really the problem. It’s how we manage or cope with stress that’s important.
Causes of stress
The situations, events, and people who cause us stress are called “triggers.” While we all experience stress, we don’t all experience the same triggers. Triggers can’t always be controlled but we can be aware of them and anticipate our reaction. The more we’re aware of our triggers, the better we can manage the stress they bring.
Examples of Triggers
Having a tough conversation
Getting yelled at by a parent
Being the center of attention
Asking for something and not getting it
Not achieving an accomplishment that you worked for
We can also experience stress physically through internal cues that let us know something is going on. In other words, when stress comes, our bodies respond. Tuning in to the way your body responds can be another important tool to maximizing your ability to cope with stress.
Examples of Cues
Feeling your face flush
Feeling like you want to punch something
Leg kicking/bouncing
Feeling sick to your stomach
Difficulty breathing
When you make a choice to cope with stress in a healthy way, you can better manage stress, understand how you can change the situation or reach out to get help.
Coping with stress
We can try to cope with our reaction to stress in healthy or unhealthy ways, also called adaptive and maladaptive coping.
Check out some healthy, adaptive coping skills you or others can use.