(ThyBlackMan.com) It sometimes seems like you can’t pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV without someone talking about stress. It could be a celebrity talking about how the interest in their private life drove them half-insane with stress. It might be a lifestyle show talking about how to deal with the effects. It may be a medical journal setting out a link between some illness and excess stress levels.
Everybody has stress. Not everybody will be made ill by it, but it’s always around. It’s what drives all industries, to an extent. That nipping at the back of your mind that tells you to hit a deadline? Stress. What makes people buy time-saving gadgets and more efficient cars? They want to cut down on everyday stresses.
The bottom line is, the less stress you have in your life, the better.
It’s likely impossible to remove it entirely, or you’d never get out of bed. But only a fool would deny that too much of it will send you to the hospital or worse. So how can you make sure your levels are lower?
It may seem counter-productive, but you need to take ownership of it. Only you can ensure that you’re not overwhelmed by it, and if you feel that you are you need to make decisions that take it out of your life.
Put Down Your Phone, Tablet, Laptop
Wherever you find yourself on the political spectrum, you will read at least one thing a day that makes you pessimistic about the world. People will do and say things that make you want to go off the deep end with anger. And nowhere is this more evident than on social media.
Although we don’t like to admit it, there are trolls on our side. There are trolls on the other side, too. And when they Tweet or put a message on Facebook, they do it to get a reaction. When they get that reaction, they’ve won. They don’t need even to believe what they are saying; it just needs to annoy you and they’ve got what they came for.
So if they’re getting under your skin, get off social media! Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. They’ll always be there; it’s what they live for. You’re not going to drive them away, so all you’re doing is wasting your time and getting het up for no good reason. Let it go. It’s stress you don’t need.
Get Out In The Fresh Air
A lot of people take a walk when they are feeling overwhelmed. It allows them to clear their heads and put some space between them and what’s pressuring them. But unless you’re walking for a reason, you can find yourself coming back to what’s gnawing at you. Sometimes stress comes from thinking too much.
So take up golf. Find a course near you by using At The Tee or a similar site. Take the tension that’s been keeping you awake, and let it out by hitting that ball as hard as you can. It doesn’t matter how many strokes you go around in. This isn’t the Ryder Cup. You just need to let yourself unwind. Other sports involve a lot of running and adrenaline. Why do you think the most successful businessmen all play golf?
Face Your Problems With Someone You Trust
The source of all stress is a problem that won’t seem to go away. It could be money, work, relationships. It doesn’t really matter what it is, what matters is that you face it. Some problems take time to deal with, which is why we sometimes need to let go. But when you can do something about it, don’t run away from it. Time just allows it to grow.
Get to church and pray. Sit down with your spouse and tell them what’s eating at you. Work through the problem. Of course it’s complicated. If it were simple it wouldn’t be stressful. But getting out in front of it, breaking it down and dealing with it is the only solution. Because here’s the hard truth – there’ll be something else along to bother you soon. Do you want it to join the queue?
Deep within all of us there is a desire just to be at peace. Giving in to that desire in the short term by ignoring a problem just means there will be less peace later on. You have to get a handle on it and deal with it. When you’ve done that? Well, then you can enjoy the quiet moments rather than having something else at the back of your mind.
Staff Writer; Craig Jackson