We Need To Talk About Stress
Stress Does Not Just Happen To You. You Chose It
--
There is a lot of talk about stress, and usually, we connect stress with something negative. And we seem to have a common understanding when someone uses the word stress, or, “I have so much stress”!
And in this sense, we have come to view stress as a negative experience. Or, as a badge of honor. Look at me, I am so stressed! Read: I am so busy; I must be great and important.
“The use of the term stress is now so integrated into our thoughts that it sometimes feels it has always been there.” (Which, it hasn’t.) “In fact, stress, as we currently think of it, is a relatively new concept and is one that continues to evolve”, describes Jerry Kennard, Ph.D. of the British Psychological Society.
Think a moment about what you get anxious and stressed about. And why.
And then think about this: We only stress about things that we care about.
I Care, So I Stress About It
When I organize a photography workshop event and it is getting close to the point when all the participants arrive, I get all stressed out. Or, so it feels.
When I think a bit more about this “stress feeling” I realize, I am thrilled, excited, and positively-nervous. I want everything to be prepared well and that the participants to feel well taken care of.
So, I stress about the million little things contributing to the whole.
Is that stress?
Or is it excitement and anxiousness to do a lot of things the right way?
What I actually do is this: I care.
When you care about something, you put thought, energy, time, action, and effort into it. You care about a person, so you get all stressed out when this person is sick and you want to help. It is important to you to come on time to your appointment, so you get all annoyed and stressed about the lame duck driver in front of you and start honking.
The actual situation and your caring about it are positive things. The dear person, the exciting appointment, the very intense, but very cool work project.
