In the most unfavorable conditions is when we can get ahead, so it is believed and many confirm it. Where some see only a burden, problems, contradictions, fatigue, bad luck, etc., others see a wonderful challenge, exciting and above all, hopeful. If you are one of those who sees the dark path and unknown territory instead of an adventure and a way to learn, you better take a look at the following tips to turn stress into a great life experience.

Is that the solution, at least in part, to be able to combat the negative that stress has (various diseases, heart conditions, anxiety, depression, fatigue, etc.) is to be able to see “the positive side” and know how to face this scourge of society. According to Dr. Robert Maunder, a psychiatrist at Mount Sinai Hospital in the city of Toronto, Canada, “the absence of stress is boring, it is advisable to have a little. ” Without going from one extreme to the other, the truth is that “there are good ways to deal with it.” Intense and sustained stress over time is detrimental to health, therefore it is recommended to lower these levels in some way.

How? Facing it as a challenge, a goal, an obstacle that will allow us to be better in the future.

Six keys to “take advantage” of stress

Although it sounds a bit strange, if you can take advantage of the situation and make stress a positive experience for your life. Follow the following tips to be able to fulfill it.

Worry less and think about solutions : According to Mattew McKay, co-author of a practical guide to relaxation and stress reduction, worry is the process by which we imagine painful or catastrophic results. This is because we do not have a plan or strategies are ineffective. Focus on finding solutions (even potential ones) in order to solve the problems that overwhelm or paralyze you. An interesting exercise is to clearly define the problem, write a list with a “rain” of solutions, evaluating each one of them and adding an “X” for those that are not possible, a “?” for the difficult ones and a “Y” for those that can be put into practice in the future. The latter are assigned an action date. After doing them, pay attention to the ones that were marked with a “?” and then those of the “X”. Analyze if they really are as impossible as you thought.

2-Maintain a “civilized treatment” with stress : have you ever thought that kindness attracts more kindness? It’s that rudeness is not only unpleasant, but it also fuels anxiety and stress. So, if you want these two not to affect you so much on a day-to-day basis, you can treat them well, without sarcasm, disparagement, slight, violence, etc. Learn to live with stress and you will see that little by little, it will be less problematic and painful. It fosters a “personal” environment where it is not necessary to fight with him, but to live together in the best possible way.

3-Become your own “devil’s advocate”: if you spend all day worrying about alleged problems or things that have never happened, write it down in a notebook. Ask yourself, what is the worst thing that could happen to you if that finally happens or how I can do so that it never happens. Thus, you will have greater responsibility in your actions and in your life, you will be the architect of your own destiny. The inevitable will happen sooner or later, no matter how much you worry about it. In turn, think about the positive you can experience and feel if you take all that weight off your shoulders.

4-See the positive side: There is always something remarkable about any situation, no matter how negative it may seem. “After the storm the sun always rises” is a phrase that fits it very well. Perhaps in some cases it will be more difficult for you to find the benefit of an event, but sooner or later, you will find it. And, instead of worrying about what happened, find the solution so that it stops hurting you, making you suffer, annoying you, causing the well-known stress that everyone talks about today. Find meaning and value to make even the most stressful situation more tolerable.

5-Stimulate your body and mind: Studies have shown that when a person suffers from chronic stress, the brain is damaged and neurons cannot regenerate. If the environment is stimulating, this can be reversed. In order to create what a Toronto psychologist calls “the islands of peace”, you must choose an activity that you enjoy and that allows you to exercise your brain but without even realizing it, such as gardening, solving a crossword, running or reading a novel. Anything that distracts you from stress is welcome. If you want to further reduce your stress levels, choose to do something that offers you mental but also physical benefits, such as going for a walk, going to the park, going around the block, riding a bike, etc.

6-Get inspired: seek not only to read life stories of people who knew how to cope with stress, but also get to work. Take advantage of the advice of others in similar situations, look for self-help books, that the action comes to your life.