Don't Let Stress Get To You ⛈️

Ahhh stress. We ALL deal with it. Whether it is work, relationships, family issues, financial obligations, stress is a part of everyday life.

In fact, some stress in your life can be healthy. For starters, stress motivates you to reach your goals – it gives you some push in life to really achieve what you want. Here’s another interesting fact on the benefits of stress: The fight-or-flight response you feel when stressed is designed to protect you as it stimulates the production of a chemical called interleukins and gives your immune system a quick boost to protect against illness.

Enough about good stress – we’re here to talk about bad stress, or chronic stress. This is what experts have always warned us about: The stress that makes you more prone to sickness, the worry that keeps you up at night, or if you’ve seen the latest Netflix hit Beef, the stress that makes angry, resentful, depressed, and worst of all, act harshly and without thinking twice, causing harm unto others and yourself!

Problem is many of us have this Beef-type of anger that we don’t realise it until it’s too late. It’s the kind of rage that makes us act out and think irrationally. Unfortunately, this kind of stress rage is on the high no thanks to mental health at an all-time low due to the pandemic and its aftermath. Wonder why there are so many bully cases, road rage news, and generally angry people everywhere? That’s stress!

If you feel like your stress is causing you to spiral out of control (think Amy Lau from Beef! If you’ve not seen it, we highly recommend it!), stop and take a moment to reflect. Unfortunately, stress is never ending and it can make you feel like you’re losing control of your life. There’s good news though: You can regain control again and feel more like your happier self.

Here’s how to show stress: who's the real boss.

#1 Identify your triggers
Maybe it’s work that’s causing you to feel helpless. Or perhaps it is your financial situation that’s making you worry. It could also be loneliness that’s making you sad. Doing this requires some introspection but knowing exactly what’s making you anxious and stressed out is the first step to gaining back control by minimizing its impact on your state of mind.

Like in Beef, both main characters carried the burden of having to care for their family financially and emotionally. But once they were able to properly fend for their family, they became happier (until things started to take a turn – no spoilers!). If it is feeling overwhelmed at work that’s causing you to feel a sense of burden every morning, you might want to talk to your boss about getting some help or extending some deadlines until you catch up with your work. If feeling all alone in a big city is really hitting hard, perhaps join some classes where you can meet new people and not feel so lonely.

#2 Slow down!
It’s OK to say no for one day. It’s OK to say I’m not up for it. Stress tends to cause us to speed up and want to go, go, go. To control your anxiety due to all that stress building up, the best thing to do is to call it a day, take some deep breaths, and do nothing at all. It’s called me time for a reason!

#3 Keep moving
Yes, it’s contradictory to #2 but hear us out: Regular exercise can significantly reduce your stress level. Notice how you feel super motivated after a workout? Or how happy and accomplished you feel? Now imagine feeling that at least three times a day after a good sweat. That’s the magic of regular exercise in that it helps to improve your mental health and keep bouts of sadness away.

#4 Talk it out
Sometimes all you need is a listening ear to help alleviate your stress. Keeping it all inside will only allow your stress and anxiety to build up and before you know it, boom – road rage! Seek a friend or a mentor (if it is work stress that’s bugging you) to be that sounding board for you. Or if you really need help, seek professional help – many companies now offer mental health counseling for their staff so take advantage of that.

Ultimately, you can’t avoid stress. It’s a natural part of life. But you can manage your response to stress and in some cases, even prevent it. Here’s something else you can do: Watch Beef if you haven’t and you’ll learn that all that pent-up stress is really not worth it!

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.