Are We Addicted to Stress?
Stress. Whether you wear it physically or emotionally, it is never a pleasant state of being. Stress announces itself in a variety of forms. Some may recognize it physically with the onset of symptoms such as tense shoulders, a racing heartbeat, or a migraine headache. Others may notice stress with the emotional cues of feeling insecure or unsafe. Still others may spot a stress attack with a change of habits, such as poor eating or an irregular sleep schedule. Sometimes we can anticipate the arrival of stress, while other times we hardly know we feel stressed until it’s too late to prevent it.
In particular, there is one thing that intrigues me about stress: As unpleasant as it is, many of us are strangely committed to it.
As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I see it often. People will come to me to help them eradicate — or at the very least, manage — the stress in their lives. Yet, after we’ve spent some time understanding how their stress developed and the meaning of its stay, the time comes to make some changes that will help reduce or eliminate it. Here, people often resistfreedom. In part, this is because change is difficult. The brain prefers what it knows. But what really makes stress difficult to let go of are beliefs about what stress represents and what it means about our identity if we let it go.
When we believe that we are worthy from the start, we feel free to pursue our true purpose instead of feeling the need to let stress prove we have purpose.
I know because this is my struggle, too. As much as I loathe feeling stressed, I wear it like a badge of honor. And what I’ve realized is that I cling to stress because I fear I am not worthy unless I am busy. I maintain an overbooked schedule because it makes me feel needed and successful. To give up the sensation of feeling stressed, for me, would be to give up feeling significant.
I’m guessing I’m not alone in this lie. We tend to believe that worthiness is earned and is the result of a full life. But the truth is that a fulfilling life is rooted in the belief that we are worthy before we begin. Accomplishments and titles may result from our gifts and talents, but they don’t add anything to the value we have already. When we believe that we are worthy from the start, we feel free to pursue our true purpose instead of feeling the need to let stress prove we have purpose.
Not only is our commitment to stress making us miserable, it also won’t work. If we are waiting to feel accomplished or achieve one more goal in order to feel worthy, we are going to be waiting a long time … probably forever. The satisfaction we dream an accomplished goal will bring is short-lived or never comes; these titles and accomplishments will always be insufficient in defining our uniqueness and value.
You are more than your résumé. You are more than your busy schedule. You are more than your social calendar. The belief that your identity can be summed up in your agenda will only lead to more feelings of insignificance and maintain stress.
Understanding your relationship with stress can help you reduce its presence in your life.
How have past events and relationships shaped your beliefs about stress?
Our beliefs don’t develop in a vacuum. They are always formed in the context of relationship and story. Reflecting on the painful moments and relationship dynamics that have shaped your view of stress can help you understand your relationship with stress in context.
What are the specific beliefs about stress that are maintaining its existence in your life?
When we experience difficulty ridding ourselves of stress, it’s best to start with asking ourselves why we need it to stay. Understanding what it means about our identity and empowerment if we were to let go of stress allows us the opportunity to speak truth into the lies we carry.
What is the message you want to give yourself about your identity and empowerment?
Once you have identified the lies, we have a responsibility to be truth-tellers and give ourselves a different message about where our value and empowerment comes from. Are we worthy from the start or do we need to prove our worth? Are we empowered to make choices in our life or are decisions dictated by outside pressure? Answering questions like these with the truth will make all the difference in letting stress go.
Are you ready?
Do you feel ruled by stress in your life? What truths do you need to start telling yourself in order to let some of that stress go?