Stress and Finding Your Own Personal Stress Definition
Stress is never easy to define. Yet so many people believe that by having a standard definition of stress it will provide them with the stress management and stress relief answers they need. But this is not so. Stress is far more difficult to understand and define than this.
TRY THIS POWERFUL DEFINITIONS EXPERIMENT
Let us consider just how difficult it can be to define the term stress. Try this definitions experiment and test for yourself. So use the steps below and make sure to listen closely to what your respondents have to say about defining stress.
YOUR DEFINITIONS TEST STEP ONE
Firstly, choose five people who you know. Then consider asking them to provide you with a general definition of the term – stress. As they explain their thoughts, write down what they say. You realize that every person uses similar words but every definition varies with each person.
YOUR DEFINITIONS TEST STEP TWO
Secondly, ask each person to define what the word stress means to them personally. The language and words will alter further as everyone relates the term to their personal experiences and life situations. Again, write down what each person has to say and you will notice that the definitions change again. Their words and their definitions become more emotionally charged as they become more personal.
YOUR DEFINITIONS TEST STEP THREE
Thirdly, ask each person to do this final step. Politely request that they complete these two further sentences. Stress makes me feel (fill in the blank). I feel stressed when (fill in the blank). Again write down what each person has to say. You will hear more words such as: pressured, worried, anxious, burdened, tense, strained, hassled, overextended and burnt out. You are now hearing from people more about their own personal, emotional and unique definitions of stress.
YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THIS ABOUT ANY DEFINITIONS
So now you have a long list of words and multiple definitions of stress. And that is from just five people. What can you discover when considering all these different definitions? Understand that one definition of stress really does not fit for everyone. Each person always experiences stress in their own individual and personal way. Just as all stress relief and stress management methods you utilize really must fit with your own personalized needs.
YOUR OWN PERSONAL DEFINITION
So always consider any standard definition of stress as a guide only. More importantly, take the three definition steps we have just discussed and use them to design your own personal definition of stress. It is this personal definition that will be of more value to you, than any standard definition.
YOU WILL UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT YOUR OWN STRESS
When you develop your own personal definition you will now understand so much more about yourself. You will also understand more about how to start to deal with the stress you are experiencing in your life. So, what is your own definition of stress?