Have you ever noticed that some people seem to breeze through life without a care, while others seem to be overcome by worry and stress?
Although we may have different ideas of what is stressful, and different ways of coping, everyone experiences some degree of stress in their lives.
Although we usually think of stress as a negative thing, stress can also come from positive experiences. Whether you are planning a wedding, caring for a sick relative, expecting a baby, or looking for a job, stress can have real physical and mental impacts on your life.
So what can you do to help minimize the effects of stress? Time Magazine spoke with psychotherapist Amy Morin, the author of "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do," and shared these six tips that mentally strong people use to help control their stress:
1) Keep it in perspective
When you concentrate on stress, it can seem to overshadow everything else in your life. Don’t let stress become the monster in the closet that you can’t control and are afraid to face. Keep your thoughts about stress realistic and remind yourself that, just as things that cause stress show up, they will also go away.
2) Trust yourself
Mentally strong people tend to be self-confident. Instead of thinking that you can’t handle one more thing, remind yourself that you are going to be okay, and that you can find a way to deal with the stress.
3) Adjust your focus
Concentrating on things you can’t change will get you nowhere. Instead, use your energy in positive ways to handle responsibilities and solve the problems that you can control.
This may also include prioritizing tasks to better manage your time. Failing to keep up with important things in your life because you are spending your time on less crucial tasks is a sure way to increase your stress. Focus on getting the most important things done first.
4) Know where stress comes from
Mentally strong people recognize things that cause them stress, and also recognize signs in themselves that they are becoming stressed.