Believe it or not, the source of stress is internal, not external, as many people believe. What we believe is the source of our stress (a mean boss, an annoying co-worker, a big project coming due, etc.) is actually a projection of inner emotions. What is feared, what causes anger, shame, sadness, or any other stressful emotion actually exists before the stressor makes itself known.
The secret to overcoming stress is the ability to become aware of the feelings as they occur in the face of the perceived stressor.
Surely you’ve heard the overly-used adage “You have to face your fears.” In short, as you come face-to-face with a stressor, you look inside and identify what you’re feeling in that moment. Then you can ask yourself, “Why am I feeling this way? What is the source of this emotion?” And you don’t even have to give the emotion a name, only acknowledge its presence and effect on you. Armed with this awareness, you now have the power to choose: Do I really need to feel this or can I let this go? That power to choose is authentic freedom and self-empowerment.
What we do in stress counseling is the practice of becoming aware of your biggest stressors and identifying why they have become the stressors they are. Awareness is half the battle! Once you know a stressor is coming, you can choose whether or not the stressor needs to be a part of your emotional makeup. You CAN learn to let stressors go! Give me a call, text, or email and let’s set aside some time so you can live your life feeling free, empowered, and relaxed!