When I was training to be a counsellor, I was taught the definition of stress and the difference between good stress and bad stress. Good stress can keep you alert and on your toes and it can even help you perform excellently. However, when your situation exceeds your ability to cope, it becomes bad and dangerous stress.
We need to keep it in mind that overwhelm and stress doesn’t just come from negative situations, they come from good things, too.
When it comes to stress, we tend to think of negative situations that we dislike: more deliverables at work, unreliable partners or vendors, traffic, children screaming for hours in the home…but that’s not complete. Good things and good goals can become stressful, too.
If we’re honest we’ll see that we don’t have time for every value-adding good idea, course or project. You need to weigh everything in line with what you’re trying to achieve in this season. Otherwise, even your great idea can lead to bad stress. It would not just stretch you, but it would go past the stretch and become the stress.
Here’s an actually an assignment for you: Ask yourself if you’re struggling with your ability to cope. Then take a honest look at your present commitments. Where are you leaking focus, time and energy? What commitments and projects can wait? What are the things taking you close to the tipping point? It’s important to address these questions so that you can give yourself more fully to the things that truly matter in this period.
To get a little more depth about this topic and other ones that will help you be your best self and live your best life, please, join me on The Lifeaholic Podcast. Can’t wait to catch up with you there!
