A Word About: Stressful Situations

It’s important to make a distinction between the trigger for a stress reaction and the nature of the reaction itself. A stressor is the scientific term for the demands we face in life. These are potential triggers that may or may not set off a stress reaction. The key word is ‘potential’.

 

Often I’ll hear people say “Lunch with my in-laws is so stressful”. Or “Monday management meetings with my boss are stressful”. These statements imply that it’s the situation that is responsible for making someone stressed.

 

There’s no such thing as a stressful situation. There are only stressful responses to given situations.

 

Situations can be demanding and challenging. People can be difficult. There may be jobs you’d rather not do. However it’s not the situation, person or job that determines whether you get stressed or not.

 

Two people might be in the same meeting. One person’s getting stressed and the other is not. It’s the response to the situation that determines whether someone has a stress reaction, not the situation itself.

 

There’s also a positive alternative. If you’re able to interact with a stressor successfully, it will lead to a wave of joy.  Demands in and of themselves do not equal stress. Stress is a response, and almost invariably, it’s a response that damages your nervous system.

 

Taken from Jillian’s book: Why Meditate? Because it Works.