20. not all stress strategies are good...

20.

​Good and bad stress coping strategies and how to actually thrive, not just cope.

​When we are faced with a difficult situation or stress, we all have a set of tools that we can use. It is not one, we all have many coping mechanisms. And we know a lot about some of them, and less about others. So here is a brief list of what helps our stress levels:

Coping behaviours that pay off in the long run:

• Mindfulness and Meditation: any practice that brings us to the present moment lowers our cortisol level, and helps us in building long term resilience.
• Movement and time in nature: regular physical activity releases endorphins, boosting mood, so does a walk in nature.
• Meaningful contact with loved ones: it can be a pet, a call to a friend, a hug, a massage even to boost physical touch and oxytocin levels.
• Time management and discipline: sticking to a promise we make to ourselves is hard in the short term but rewards us in the long run.
  
  

Coping that feels good only in the short term:

• Avoidance: sleeping, scrolling, running away, pretending.
• Substances: alcohol, drugs, food, anything else that soothes us.
• Excessive work: one of the most overlooked coping strategies.
• Closing ourselves: isolation, inertia, lack of desire to be with others.

I know it sounds all very easy and clear when we talk or write about it. We all know what is good and what is not good for us. And it is not a sign of weakness if we are not perfect in applying to our lives.


Well, I feel it all depends on my motivation. Doesn’t it?
                Glad you mention motivation. Let us talk about that more.