STRESS is not a four letter word…

Stress and Wine have something in common! They come in various textures and flavours. And like wine, a little bit of stress is actually not that bad for you. The trick is to pick the right flavours and keep it qualitative and most importantly, keep them at bite sized levels (just like wine!). Dissecting it further, let’s take a look at stress categories:

Mission Impossible stress: If you love life in the fast lane, this one is for you. Your pace is fast, you have your bases covered and it’s all stacking up nicely like a deck of cards…except when it starts to look too fragile or quite simply ‘all too much’. This when you press the brakes and get back on track.

Poor me stress: We play this one when we need some plain good old fashioned rest and TLC. It’s a great signal to ensure that you don’t burnout and yet be careful you don’t get addicted to this one. It is like a ‘get out of jail free’ card. Use it sparingly. For the most part it makes sense to take responsibility for yourself and use a sensible ‘get on with life’ approach that keeps you away from the victim mentality of this stress.

Race you to the deadline stress: If you are an adrenaline junkie and it’s all about WINNING, you will recognise this one only too well. It is a great motivational tool to pep yourself for intense action. Remember though, that in games, you win some and lose some and that is just how it goes. For those of you who might take it personally or just don’t like competing, this one is good only in teaspoonfuls!

Too much on your plate stress: A small dose of this one signals an enriched and full life and you should actually be happy about it. Too much of it on the other hand, signals confusion and weak prioritisation. Some hard choices on what is realistically achievable for you and what truly matters might be in order.

World on my shoulders stress: We all have responsibilities and a slight pressure on your back is normal. But if it starts to feel like an encyclopaedia collection, as in carrying the world on his shoulders ALL the time, you need to assess what your commitments are and what it is costing you to meet them. It may also be that you are suffering from the stress we talk of next. Read on.

Stress about stress: This is the one category that is totally unnecessary and yet we all romance it like it’s going out of fashion! Worry, rumination, anxiety, frustration, explosive anger and excessive fear are all part of this domain. Cultivating a mindful attitude that allows you to ‘let-go’ these emotions and redirect that locked up energy towards more meaningful pursuits is an effective way to deal with it. But that would be the topic of a whole new post!

So now that you know a little bit more about the stress profiles just like different types of wines, what are you going to do about it?

Remember, it’s all good in theory but your world changes when you take that first step…And a step is all it takes!

Damini Kumari, Axzentus