Managing Stress
    Keep the monkey where you can see it.
By Dr. Bob Litro

Manage Your Thinking
The absence of stress was once described as a condition
known as rigor - followed closely by mortis! So long as
there is a life in the body, from the first wail of the infant
to the last gasp at the end of life, there will be stress.
Stress and Stressors - So what is this thing called
stress? I believe a good workable definition follows: Stress
is the body’s reaction to the demands of life [stressors],
requiring an adjustment.
Another definition looks at it as our perception to the
pressures placed on us compared to how we feel
we can cope with these stressors. Stressors
can be thought of as events causing our bodies to react.
Some important stress facts to consider:

[1] Without stress little would be accomplished - it helps us to live up
to the best that is within us;
[2] Stress levels can lead to
heights of pleasure, or to depths of despair.



Types of Stress
There are two types of stress: eustress and distress.
Eustress [from the Greek root “Eu” meaning good] is the conversion of stress into positive
energy, while distress [from the Latin root “dis” meaning “bad” is the opposite].

Distress is the stress that gets
us down, and makes us negative and pessimistic. The
more of our stress, therefore, that we can convert to
eustress, the better off we are likely to be.
Stress, then, is not so much what happens to us,
it is our body’s reaction to the event. Stress is neither
positive or negative. Stress is not caused by the events
we encounter, but by our reaction, attitude, and
perception.
The level of stress, and the type of stress, is very
much an individual reaction - what is stressful to one
individual may not be a problem for another.

E + R = O A model for looking at our behavior.
Event + Our Response To The Event = Outcome
Stressor + Stress = Eustress or Distress
Eustress + Distress: They are Different!

When an event occurs, our response to the event
impacts the outcome. If we consider the following
events or circumstances we can see that some represent
eustress, while others, distress.
• You are given a job promotion.
• Your valentine arrives with a gift certificate inside.
• You are late for an appointment, and the traffic lights seem to be all red.
• Your puppy greets you at the door when you arrive home wagging her tail.
• The telephone rings at 2 AM in the morning, waking you out of a deep sleep.
• Your new suit jacket that was too small, now fits you after three weeks of food restraint.

Strange as it may seem, it is possible that too little
stress, being “under-whelmed”, can cause distress -
tension, boredom, and distress, while too much stress,
being overwhelmed, also can cause distress – burnout,
exhaustion, and irritability. Our goal is to attain a level
of optimum stress [eustress] that is just right – enabling
us to be productive, energetic, and happy.

The following two messages contain
insights that can help us to take
care of ourselves, our physical, mental,
and spiritual health, so that we can
become all God intends for us to be.
They are: Ten Rules for Happier
Living, and the Serenity Prayer.

Ten Rules for Happier Living
1. Give something away
2. Do a kindness
3. Give thanks always
4. Work with vim and vigor
5. Visit the elderly and learn from their experience
6. Look intently into the face of a baby and marvel
7. Laugh often - it’s life’s lubricant
8. Pray to know God’s way
9. Plan as though you will live forever - you will
10. Live as though today is your last day on earth

The Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity to
1. …accept the things I cannot change,
2. …the courage to change then things I can, and
3. …the wisdom to know the difference

Strengthen Yourself:
The Body You Save Will Be Your Own
Our habits are those things we do without
thinking about them. They are acquired through
frequent repetition. First we make our habits, then
they make us.
Dr. Don Willliamson identifies some keys to
changing our habits:
 
   1. Pat yourself on the back when you
    have small successes.
    We often do not get immediate
    feedback, because benefits are delayed.
    2. Avoid tempting areas. Avoid places and
    situations that contribute to those habits you
    are seeking to change. Find something else to
    do and to focus on.
3. Don’t fool yourself by saying that “I’ll just
do it this one time.” One step away from or
toward your bad habit is all you have going
for you.
4. Talk to friends, get their support. Get help
from friends and family in making the
necessary changes. Willpower only takes
us so far. We will need a team effort to get
where we want to go.
5. Don’t hide, or lie to yourself. It is better to
have an occasional lapse and face up to it
than to lie to yourself.
6. Stay around positive people. Associate with
those who will help you achieve your goals,
not those who will try to tempt you to keep
those habits you are seeking to change.
7. Leave negative situations. As mama used to
say: “You can’t run with dogs without getting fleas.”

Stress can affect our diet and nutritional needs,
sleep schedule, or exercise habits. Maintaining a
regular routine, and sticking to a schedule that
includes attention to these key areas can contribute
to maintaining a balance in our life.
Attention to these three essential elements can
help to reduce distress levels and keep your life in
greater balance.
They are:
                         

  [1] exercise, meditation and relaxation;
  [2] nutrition [fuel for the body]; and
  [3] rest.
 

There may be several warning signs that signal
when stress levels are exceeding healthy limits.

Symptoms of stress overload can include:
[1] disruption in sleeping habits;
[2] change in appetite or diet;
[3] change in mood, such as a loss of optimism or feeling
overwhelmed;
[4] inability to put stress in long-term perspective
or see the bigger picture; and
[5] increase in anger or irritability. If any of these symptoms
surface, it’s important to reach out to family and friends, and
if these symptoms persist, seek out advice from a physician
or mental health professional trained to deal with these issues.

Take Control Of Yourself
Pastor Ronald Weinelt, in
speaking to fellow pastors that he
saw were suffering from burnout,
offered the following points
to them. He called his points
“Rules” for Living. They are:
                                                             
   The Golden Rule:
    “Do unto others
    as you would have them do unto you.”
    The Silver Rule: “At least
    do for yourself what you would
    do for others” and
    The Iron Rule: “Don’t do for others what
    they can do for themselves”
    According to Pastor Weinelt,
“The biblical command to love
your neighbor as yourself implies
a balance between caring for
others and caring for oneself. If
you don’t love yourself, you can’t
love your neighbor.”

Dr. Bob Litro presents programs
focusing on specific ways
to increase productivity and
satisfaction on the job, in
leadership positions, and in
personal living. He can be
reached at 601-259-6074.