"YOU MAY NOT DO STRESS, BUT STRESS CAN DO YOU IF YOU LET IT."
                                    
                             By: James A. Hunter MS, LPC, NSCA-CPT

     We live in a busy and competitive world that can put a lot of pressure on us. Our management  or mismanagement of this stress that comes from living in the world can make a huge difference in the impact it has on our overall health. Stress comes from many sources. There is stress associated with our careers/jobs, stress associated with meeting our basic needs of living, stress associated with relationships, stress due to not setting proper boundaries and the list goes on. There are not just negative impacts on our emotional and psychological well-being, but also on our physical health as well. In regard to the human experience, one thing that we all have in common is the pursuit of trying to get various needs met on a daily basis. This inevitably can lead to or cause stress when perceived barriers interfere with our efforts. 

      Personality Theorist Abraham Maslow proposed in his 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation the notion that all humans are subject to the hierarchy of needs that have an impact on our development and developmental progress in life. Maslow's hierarchy of needs is often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five levels: the four lower levels are grouped together as being associated with Physiological needs, while the top level is termed growth needs associated with psychological needs. Deficiency needs must be met first. Once these are met, seeking to satisfy growth needs drives personal growth. The higher needs in this hierarchy only come into focus when the lower needs in the pyramid are satisfied. Once an individual has moved upwards to the next level, needs in the lower level will no longer be prioritized. If a lower set of needs is no longer being met, the individual will temporarily re-prioritize those needs by focusing attention on the unfulfilled needs, but will not permanently regress to the lower level . For instance, a businessman (at the esteem level) who is diagnosed with diabetes will spend a great deal of time concentrating on his health (physiological needs), but will continue to value his work performance (esteem needs) and will likely continue to work.

                          

If you are reading this information on this website the chances are you are somebody who has some resources and are getting your physical and safety needs met for the most part. Yes, working for the provision of these needs can be stressful and keeps us preoccupied. The higher levels of our development can be pursued when we have the right frame of mind, cognitive tools, and game plan.

So as you can see you clearly have your work cut out for you in this life time. Trying to get the essential/basic needs met that come with being alive, reationships with other people, and coming to terms with acceptance of ourself and others. The problem can be that because the people we encournter are dynamic and different,  conflict, competition, and the pressure in general from life can arise and create stress . How we deal with this process will make a huge difference in either living a defeated life or living a successful life.

So then what can I do about the stress that comes with life? Good question. Well for starters, lets start by examining some of the things we have control of (there are many more but these are some examples):

1. Our Thoughts Govern much of our behavior and emotional state

2. Our coping skills and attitude

3. Our Decision Making

4. What we put in our body

                                                "DON'T GIVE PEOPLE SPACE IN YOUR HEAD OR MIND RENT-FREE"
                                     

What we choose to internalize on a daily basis is very powerful and has a subsequent impact on your emotions, attitude, mood and overall health. We must be the police of our reactions and thoughts to situations and circumstances around us if we are to maintain some peace of mind in our lives.

Lets face it, life can put stress on you, so learn how to manage stress effectively and don't live a defeated life! I can counsel you and help teach you stress-management tools that will assist you with dealing with and confronting life's many challenges and sources of stress.

"With a combination of the right attitude & coping skills along with an exercise program your ability to manage stress and live a healthy productive life will be more successful."
                                         

For a free initial consultation in regard to developing an exercise program and strategy for dealing with and managing stress in your life e-mail me at  mybestshapeforlife@yahoo.com  or call me.