by Gwen Randall-Youngby Gwen Randall-Young|
Our psychological and spiritual resources are more important than our stressors. I came upon this statement recently while I was doing some research, and it struck me as quite profound. On one level it seems simple and obvious. Sometimes that which is simple and obvious is most profound, but easily missed when we are expecting, or looking for complexity. Naturally a big part of my work involves assisting clients in dealing with stress. |
I am often amazed at how much stress some individuals are facing on a daily basis, not all of it self-induced! We often see articles and books dealing with ways to reduce stress. This information is helpful. However, we may develop the attitude that stress is a bad thing, and feel stressed about the fact that we have stress! We may become anxious about stressors beyond our control, such as the illness of a loved one, downsizing of a company, or even severe weather. |
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Life does, and will continue to have its stresses. What we can control, or develop, is our inner strength. Think of stressors as psychological flu viruses. Consider psychological and spiritual resources as our immune system. Just as the best way to prepare for flu season is to strengthen your physical immune system, the way to prepare for the stresses of life is to strengthen your body/mind/soul resource system. The components of this resource system might include attitude,
problem-solving skills and a solution orientation, self-esteem,
personal empowerment, people you can talk to who offer positive
support as opposed to reinforcing negative attitudes (friends,
family or professionals), good physical health and self-care,
a willingness to learn and grow, a spiritual connection to something
larger than oneself, a sense of humor, and a belief that you
have something valuable to contribute in this lifetime. What
you will notice about this list is that every item is something
for which we must take responsibility ourselves. We cannot get
these resources from someone else, (though we can learn from
others) nor can we blame anyone if we do not have them. No matter
what our circumstances, we can develop every one of the above
mentioned components. Gwen Randall-Young is a psychotherapist who bridges the worlds of psychology and spirituality. She is the author of the books Dancing Soul: The Voice of Spirit Evolving, Echoes Through Time: A Message of Healing for Men, and Baby Soul: A Blessing of Spirit, and audio cassettes Healing the Past: A Meditation for Wholeness, and After Recess: (a relaxation tape for the elementary classroom.) Email Gwen at: gwendall@ shaw.ca Website: www.gwen.ca |
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