Most people consider stress to be tension, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, being scared, etc. Stress is actually your body's response to perceived danger or threat when you feel that you do not have the resources to cope. Most people encounter stress about 50 times per day, but how we handle the stress varies from person to person. A stressor can be your alarm going off, getting kids ready for school and getting out the door in time, traffic, finding a parking spot, running late for a meeting, etc. The most key word in the definition of stress is perceived. We often feel that we cannot get something done because we don't have the ability or the time. We perceive that things will not get done, and we end up feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Everyone encounters these moments in their daily lives. How do you prevent the stress from ruining your day and getting worse and worse with every encounter? The relaxation response.
You cannot control the traffic or a child who needs a spill cleaned up before heading out the door in the morning. But you can control how you respond. In the moment, it is important to acknowledge the negative thoughts by witnessing them, but then letting them go. Don't let them get to you and ruin your mood or your day. Simply observe the thoughts and move on. There are certain factors that are within your control. In any stressful situation, there's either a solution- so do it, or there's no solution, and there's no use in stressing over it. You can view the exact same situation through many lenses, so it is all about our perspective, our perceived inability to handle the situation.
The Mind Body Institute realized that people's health was negatively affected by stress. We can respond to the stress and health issues after the fact, or we can proactively deal with them through healthy lifestyles. This includes eating well, exercising, getting sufficient sleep, and getting relaxation through yoga, meditation, massage, listening to music, etc. The Relaxation Response also involves deep breathing, meditation, guided meditation, mindfulness, and visualization. Yesterday we learned about "minis," taking 2-10 minutes to sit quietly and just observe your thoughts. The presenter discussed how this technique could be done in the morning, during a break, in the car, or even brought into the classroom as a tool to use with our students to help them get centered and focused before class begins. We had also watched the film "The Race to Nowhere" earlier in the day, so a lot of our conversation was centered around students stress.
Next time you are in a stressful situation, try to just stop, breathe, witness the situation, and be aware your reacting thoughts and feelings to it. Then respond. See if there's a difference when you take the time to breathe and be aware before reacting.
Thanks for the helpful hints. I know when a student becomes very irritating or frustrating, I usually walk to my desk, take a drink of water, reread the prayer that is taped to my desktop, then turn around and approach the student again. Sometimes this helps, but on really BAD days, I have to take two drinks and say the prayer twice to have the patience to deal with a difficult student.
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