To be better at controlling stress do these 5 things.

Much of our stress is self-induced and many of us suffer from work related stress.

Some people believe they can make things happen in this world; others believe things happen to them.

Perspective is everything and a healthy perspective can create a world of possibilities not limitations. A positive perspective will help us regulate stress and promote an optimistic attitude.  

Psychologists at the University of Florida have discovered that people who feel they control many life events gain confidence, which improves work performance.

Here's what else they discovered:

1. These people sold more than other employees
2. These people provide better customer service
3. These people adapt better
4. These people make much more money
5. These people believe they can control outcomes
6. These people let setbacks fuel passion not self-pity
7. These people don’t give up in the face of adversity

Here's what to do when we feel stressed.

Managing stress is critical to improving how we respond to anxiety. Research has been conducted on millions of people that show top performers manage their emotions better during stressful situations.

Our brains are wired to resist acting when we feel anxious.  Performance crescendos just below the threshold of maximum anxiety.

The key is to manage stress and anxiety to keep operating within optimal levels of anxiety to achieve maximum results.

Researchers at Yale found that intense levels of stress reduce gray matter in the portion of our brain that regulates self-control.

Once we lose self-control, we lose our ability to manage stress effectively. The same researchers discovered a plethora of negative health related consequences from letting stress spiral out of control.

Want to be better at managing stress and anxiety? Here's’ 5 things that can help:

“It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.”

– Bruce Lee

Anticipate change. Embrace it.

This is especially pertinent during this difficult time.

Change is inevitable personally and professionally.

When life catches us "off guard" our response is the difference between success and feeling stuck.

What’s the best way to absorb life’s unexpected punishment? Develop mental toughness. I wrote an article about this earlier this year.

Being prepared is your best defense. We have just witnessed what being unprepared does. It puts people in a precarious position where options appear limited or nonexistent.

I've noticed many people waiting to get back to work and hoping the government will pull through. Those are all options that reside outside our control. I prefer to create options that put me in the driver’s seat. 

Focus on choice not limitations.

For some reason plenty of people still live by the verdict that life isn’t fair. Wake a friend tell a neighbor!

Guess what, life isn’t fair.

However, when we lend credibility to the idea that somehow we are unable to improve our situation because forces outside our control create limitations, we are doomed.

This way of thinking creates anxiety, depression, anger, inaction, and self-pity. It’s the motivation behind many movements that celebrate being a victim. Mingling with these groups is the equivalent of surrounding yourself with terrible friends. It’s unhealthy and uninspiring.

Stay focused on exploring your options and resist surrounding yourself with people that create long lists of demands that must be satisfied before they can finally enjoy the life they "deserve".

“Stress is caused by being ‘here' but wanting to be ‘there.'

– Eckhart Tolle

Welcome change

This step demands some real effort because we must break away from habits embedded deep in our sub conscious brain.

Most of us have rehearsed a narrative that frames circumstances and our response to them.

Changing this requires "rewiring our circuitry".

Title our script tough luck and begin rewriting how we will respond in the future when we encounter adversity.

Start to recite a response of empowerment that will enhance our ability to respond to events with confidence and determination to discover a more desirable outcome. 

Over time, this will become our "new narrative".

Talk to yourself with kindness

Many people I know speak to themselves in a harsh and counterproductive fashion.

The more we ruminate in negative thoughts, the deeper we sink into a world of limitation.

Ironically, most of these thoughts are the product of our own imagination.

When we give the pessimist a voice it will sing a sad song of self-pity that celebrates excuses. 

When we use words like; never, always, and terrible we start to believe the validity of these grossly exaggerated comments.

Recognizing our thoughts and separating them from facts will help us escape a pattern of negativity that promotes anxiety. 

Be grateful

Taking time to contemplate our blessings is key.

It provides perspective and reduces the production of cortisol by almost 25%. That’s a stress hormone that can inflict severe damage on our immune system.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that hard work and an attitude of gratitude paid big dividends. Positive moods were improved, energy increased, and anxiety levels drop precipitously.

“It’s not stress that kills us; it is our reaction to it.”

– Hans Selye

Sum it up

When we are feeling overwhelmed with stress and anxiety it limits performance.  Try focusing on these five steps to regain control.

How do you manage stress?  Share your thoughts in the comments section and please like and share this article. I love learning from you as well.

About Steve:

Steve Wohlenhaus is CEO of Weatherology, the leading company in the world at disseminating audio weather information.  Steve began his career as a major market television weather anchor in Minneapolis, where he received several Emmy Awards for science programming. Steve is an author and host of the podcast program Anatomy of Success. Reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn and grab the FREE Weatherology mobile app!