The Law of Stress-Hardiness

OK, I have stress. You have stress. If we are alive, we have stress. Stress sucks, but actually, Greg Anderson says it's a good thing....

Here's why. Stress gives us important warning signals, feedback on how we are conducting our lives. We all know the signs of stress, he spends about 4 paragraphs on that.... headaches, sleep difficulties, etc. Then there are the responses to that stress... the over eating, smoking, drinking and being bitchy (my words). He says it adds up to an inability to think clearly, make decisions, lack of sense of humor... bitchy again.

So, we all recognize this stuff. Can we do anything about it? Let's hear it. All together now.

YES, we can!

The 2 things we can do 1) change the perception of the problem and 2) change the perception of yourself. I remember my family saying, "don't sweat the small stuff", and "don't get your panties in a wad". Anderson says, "Arguably, you could manage your toxic stress by just one change in perception. But increasing personal power and decreasing problem power is the essence of stress-hardiness. That's the simple truth of this law."

Stress hardy characteristics are control, challenge, and commitment. That control, by the way, is not our control over all the circumstances in our lives, but control over our responses to them. That's important. (Control freaks can be bitches.... that's from me, not Greg Anderson. Are you seeing a pattern here?)

Don't go the non resistant, "I quit", route either. Take control. Get a second opinion if you are in the doctor's office. Make a budget and stick to it. Make a reasonable schedule for your time. Say "no" once in awhile. Do something nice for you. Stop and smell the roses. We make our own luck, and in this life, you only get to go around one time. You might as well enjoy it! The people around you will appreciate it too.