Stress Is So Good For You

Catch Challenge Change

The best way surely to sort out our stress would be to get rid of the trigger wouldn't it. But normally we can't. These triggers are often outside of our direct control. So the only thing I can change is how I handle them. Time and time again this is a battle of the mind. By and large those triggers come from outside and that makes us think certain things, feel certain things and do certain things, the key is, to catch, to challenge and change that first thought.

The first thing we can do is to catch challenge and change our view of stress itself. One of the ancient writings postures us. When all kinds of troubles crowd into your lives don't resent them as intruders welcome them as friends.

 It may help here to talk about the positive dynamics of stress too. Maybe we can start by challenge our negative concepts of stress because can produce some beneficial outcomes. We saw how it works with fight or flight but in every area of life, development and growth come only through stretching our capacities to the point where it hurts. A young woman tells us about her experience running a marathon - all 26 miles of it. She explains that round the 15 mile mark you hit what she called the pain barrier. When you hit that barrier you either die by the side of road or you struggle through it. And if you do struggle through it you know you are going to finish the race. There are ten miles to go and you may not win, but you know you are going to make it all the way to the tape. We cannot as humans avoid pain - ever. If we avoid the pain of exercise we end up with the pain of a sick or weak body. If we avoid the pain of study we end up with the pain of ignorance. There is no gain without pain e.g. pumping heavier weights we will have the pain of pushing ourselves but over time we have the gain of extra strength.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              One of my mentors used to help me here. Brian Rebbbettes used to say This Years Stretching Is Next Years Relaxation

PAPYRUS REED on its own, it's vulnerable, it's pretty weak, its life expectancy is short and its usability is very limited.

Left with no change, and no pressure it has no durability and no great future. However cut it soak it and hammer the life out of it then weave it with other single reeds into a criss-cross pattern, and it will last for a few thousand years as papyrus. We can see stress as potentially painful but if we can handle it right it can increase our capacity and makes us more durable then that will help our perspective as we learn to catch challenge & change.