Stress Coping Skills

Stress is a normal part of life and we all must deal with stress in our own way. Stress occurs when we have evaluated every detail of our situation and find that we do not have available answers to solve our problems. When answers are unavailable to us, we often panic reacting to the stressors. Each of us has our own degree of coping skills and we see things in a different light. What may work for one individual may not work for another.

Therefore, we have to examine our self to understand which stress management scheme is right for us. Some of us may view a promotion as a stressful situation and may react negatively to the achievement, while others may take the promotion and run. For example, one person may react stressfully when higher demands are placed on the person. If the person is accustomed to sitting back and observing and the promotion requires the person to utilize a higher degree of skills then this may pose a threat to the individual. It all depends on how we understand life’s stressors, stress to determine what we as an individual can take, and how we view stress.

If we all looked at promotion in the same light then we might understand that achievement is a part of everyday life and when we achieve the expectations increase. If we were prepared for higher demands then the promotion would not be a threat, rather it would be a challenge. Let us review threats and challenges to grasp hold of a positive influence that can help us cope with stress and understand stressors. Threats are either exaggerated or real. It is an expression of meaning to exact malevolence, harm, damage, and even death. When we are threatened, our mind warns us that danger is potential in front of us. Challenges are a form of positive threats in certain situations. Challenges are a demand, dispute or even a dare. When a business promotes us, they are sort of daring us to meet an expectation.

This is why one person may feel threatened because this person is obviously aware of what the promotion entails. The person that takes the challenge and run with it may believe the promotion is a competition and he or she must finish the race. On the other hand, challenges are threatening since when a court summons us to attend a court meeting then our being is at stake to a degree. This means that the challenge is a test against our physiological activity and we are at risk of being exposed. If you can see, understanding challenges and threats can help us to make a better judgment when decisions are needed. If you have done nothing wrong with the legal system then the summons should not pose a threat.

On the other hand, if you have lied to your self and the system your stress level is subject to become overwhelming. Now we are assuming the person that is threatened by the promotion may not understand challenges and what it means to them. The person may have lied claiming they were skillful to handle any task demand of them. On the other hand, the person may lack self-confidence, believing failure is in front of them. Now if you see where I am going then you know that we need to find a stress management solution that works best for this person.

We need to focus on behavior, thinking, negative, emotions, and abilities. We can help this person by pointing out his or her inability to manage stress successfully. Is there something in your behavior patterns that causes you to step back when achievements come your way? Is there something in your past that is hindering you? Why are you viewing the promotion as a negative challenge? Do you understand what this challenge means to you? Is there a part of the pie missing that hinders you from seeing the positive outcome of this position? Do you feel like you are a failure in certain areas? The person can ask his or her self a series of questions repeatedly and consistently to find the answers, minimize stress, and reach their dreams.