Are you feeling overwhelmed? Trying these 2 methods of coping with stress can really help:
There are two main types of coping strategies. The first strategy is to focus on the stressor itself and try to change it. Examples of this are: taking control, seeking information, negotiating agreements and evaluating the pros and cons of a situation. This type of strategy is best used when the stressor that you are facing is within your control (changeable).
The second strategy for coping with stress is to focus on changing yourself (your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors) and on adapting to a stressor. Examples of this are keeping yourself busy to take your mind off the issue, letting off steam by expressing your feelings to a friend, accepting that the situation will not change, or praying for guidance and strength. This strategy is best used when the stressor that you are facing is out of your control (unchangeable).
Coping with stress is easier than it seems! In order to manage stress effectively, a person must have both types of coping strategies at their disposal and use the one that best fits each stressor.
Using only one coping strategy in all circumstances puts you at a disadvantage because you will not be able to match your behavior with the reality of the circumstances. This will lead to feelings of stress and exhaustion.
In summary, when you encounter a stressor, do the following:
- Determine the nature of the stressor (changeable versus non-changeable). This implies making sure that you have an objective and accurate perception of it.
- Use the coping strategy that best fits the nature of the stressor that you are facing. If the stressor is within your control (changeable), try to change it. If on the other hand, the stressor is out of your control (non-changeable), focus on changing yourself and adapting to the circumstances.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author Georgiana Spradling, Ph.D., MFT, CDVC, is a multicultural and multilingual (English, Spanish, French) Emotional Intelligence and Relationship Coach with over 20 years of experience helping people choose the right partners and avoid the wrong ones, manage emotions and behaviors in self and others, leave unhealthy partnerships and move past old relationships. She is a Certified Domestic Violence Counselor and has a Certificate as an Anger Management Facilitator.
Her e-book: Don’t Get Stuck With the Wrong Partner: Learn to detect unhealthy traits and behaviors in others is available on Amazon Kindle. In it you will find more dating tips:
- 60 questions that will help you determine who your current or potential partner may be.
- 10 dimensions that may reveal inconsistent, unhealthy or harmful patterns of behavior in another person.
- Suggestions on how to interpret inconsistencies in behavior in the person that you are considering committing to.
- Advice on what to do when you find traits and behaviors that make you uncomfortable or that suggest deeply rooted physical or psychological issues that are hard to manage and live with.
You can subscribe to her YouTube Channel and to her online news bulletin “Relationships On Fire” on her website at www.drgeorgiana.com.
Dr. Georgiana coaches on the telephone, online or in her office in San Francisco (USA) and offers a FREE 25-minute consultation. She can be reached through her website: www.drgeorgiana.com, by e-mail: gs@drgeorgiana.com or phone: 1-650-731-5105.