Stress… an annoying word and annoying feelings – hence needed to be appropriately managed before it progresses to something we don’t want, or worse, something unmanageable.
INTRO TO STRESS MANAGEMENT: STICKING TO THE WAY WE FUNCTION
Stress management today is still about sticking to the way we functioned 200,000 years ago in Savannah.
We have survival instincts and we either fight, freeze, or flight. The only difference is the changing scenarios and situations we need to face.
BUT THAT’S WHERE OUR BASIC BIOLOGY IS WIRED
Like 200,000 years ago, we need to know the HOWs in order to survive – just like how we need to learn everything else.
So how did our ancestors survive? By using the basic survival instincts of fight, flight, or freeze, right?
The only problem is…
Is it still applicable in today’s modern world?
Can you punch your boss when he’s stressing you out with the things he/she wants you to do? Can you just run away from all your work deadlines? Or can you just freeze and not do anything at all when given a task to accomplish?
Instead, we need work to survive in our daily lives. Again, WE NEED WORK. And doing the flight, freeze, or fight tactic WOULD all make us LOSE WORK.
So, what do we do?
WE GET THE PRINCIPLES AND REAPPLY
We get the principles and the foundation of our basic biology, and then we reapply it to the appropriate scenarios.
But how do we even do that?
That’s where THE 5 ACTIONABLE STEPS TO MANAGING STRESS COME:
1. UNDERSTANDING STRESS SOURCES
The first step is understanding where your stress comes from. What causes it? What are your triggers? What is stress and when does it spike?
This is a necessary first step because without understanding something, we will fail to evaluate and see the options we have in fixing it.
Our ancestors during the Savannah understood that they are always fighting for survival. They understood that the cause of their stress and the triggers are rooted in the fear of not surviving such as getting eaten by the animals. Once they understood what situation they were in, they saw their survival options.
2. MINDSET
We have to embrace the fact, that stress work is also about mindset, and that everything else can also be about mindset.
Why? Because when you practice training your mindset, your thoughts eventually invade your subconscious, and your subconscious makes us act based on your subconsciousness’ deepest desires.
Let’s reapply in Savannah. Our ancestors knew they wanted to survive, no matter what. They could be tired physically or mentally, but deep inside, they know THEY WANT to survive. So in that desire to survive, their bodies act that way in times of danger.
3. MOVING AROUND
Moving around is vital as it helps in giving you energy and it also helps in your thinking and processing.
We have a connection between our muscles and brain cells, that when we move our muscles, so do our brain cells – helping us be able to think clearer.
Wonder why our ancestors run and choose flight even when they can fight, then suddenly do some sure-win survival movements after running? Because when they choose flight, they don’t just run away to survive – they also buy themselves time. Time to think of a way to defeat their opponent, time to make a great escape, or time to just figure out a way to survive at that specific moment.
4. Healthy Sleeping & Eating Habits
This is a no-brainer. We get grumpy when we do not get enough sleep, just as how we get grumpy when we are hungry.
Our ancestors still sleep and eat in the Savannah, but if they get good and healthy amounts of it is the question… it’s possible but depends on whether they have #5 below.
5. Support System
We often forget or fail to realize the importance of having a strong support system. I’m sure you’re familiar with the famous saying: “No man is an Island”.
Why? Life can be lonely, and sometimes we make decisions based on emotions – but having a strong support system helps us be better than that.
It’s great to get different insights, and the support is healthy (just make sure to find ones you can trust, this is crucial).
But how is the support system beneficial in Savannah?
As mentioned, they were in survival mode. Without a support system, they’re just easy targets for the animals. At the same time, without this, they will fail to get healthy amounts of sleep because they have no one to be on the lookout for while they sleep, plus hunting food would be harder as opposed to when they’re in a group.
SAME BASE SYSTEM, DIFFERENT SCENARIOS
You see how we’re wired, and how we have the same base system but just needs to be applied in different scenarios?
That’s how we can successfully deal with and manage our stress levels.
We are naturally wired to those, we just have to be creative in order to make it applicable in our today’s world.
REMEMBER WHERE IT ALL STARTS
Always remember that you have to understand where it all starts – without these, your options will not be accurate or effective.
Remember, same principles… but different applications.
GET HELP IF YOU NEED
If it feels hard to decide what you want to do on your own – get a mentor. Reach out if you need help. It is always important and there will always be things that you can support.
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To your success and keep smiling,
