Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold.  But other times it's essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow.  ~Douglas Pagels, These Are the Gifts I'd Like to Give to You

Today, stress can be an everyday part of our lives. It may be caused externally by others or internally by how we talk to ourselves about events and the view we choose to take on life. Good News! The key to stress reduction is within our locus of control. Each individual can make change in their lives, their views and thoughts about events that cause the most stress.

The manner in which we think about an event causes an event to become stressful; therefore, we may find that one person is “stressed” about an upcoming meeting while

another, who is attending the same meeting, is feeling relaxed and assured about their

role at this same meeting. It is our primary appraisal of an event that sways our view. If

we view an event as irrelevant to us then our appraisal of it is neutral. When we view an event as beneficial then our view is positive. Appraising an event as stressful means that we see it as potentially harmful or creating a loss for us. Another interpretation may be that the event can be potentially threatening and our expectation is that we may experience some form of future harm. An experience may be potentially challenging to us and/or may provide an opportunity for change or growth, if we view it in that manner. Our secondary appraisal of this same experience deals with our ability and resources to cope with what we have targeted as stressful.

Here’s a news flash, some stress is actually good for us. That’s right. Too little stress can cause boredom and lack of motivation. Really . . . it’s true! Too much stress means that we are overwhelmed physically and psychologically. This is the real or imaginary threat that we experience or perceive. Our comfort zone is that balance between the two extremes. The comfort zone keeps us fresh, challenged, energized and stimulated. The goal is to work within our comfort zone to avoid common sources of stress. Achieve this by reviewing and becoming aware of those stressors in your life. Contemplate those activities that are energizing for you so that you may balance your energizers with your stressors. Experiment by looking for the best level of balance in your life between challenging stress and positive stress (eustress). Avoid common areas of stress by being proactive and devising a way to deal with identified problems. Recognize the feelings that you harbor within yourself toward certain people, situations, and obstacles. Make a commitment to reframe your viewpoint toward these identified events. Ask for an objective viewpoint from a friend or professional as a way to help you take another look at the thoughts that are causing discomfort. Plan for change.

Take Action. Taking action empowers, motivates and refreshes us. Employ a problem solving method to take an objective look at your stress-causing event. Now, what are

you willing to do to change? Recognize where you have control and those situations where you truly do not have control. We know that we cannot change other folks, but our reaction and our ability to find more effective ways to interact with others is certainly within our control.

Use The 3 C’s of Stress Management as your guide. 

1.Commitment.  Recognize and decide that you are going to make change. 

2.Control.  Take ownership of events within your life. 

3.Challenge yourself and the thinking that has gotten in the way of a healthy lifestyle.