Cathy Liska Stress can be defined as mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting conditions occurring in response to adverse external influences. Challenge can be defined as a call to engage in a contest or competition. The United States has developed almost an entire industry dealing with stress reduction. Look at stressors: time, money, family, and work just to name a few big ones. Now look for ways to reduce, remove, avoid, or even ignore the stress and uncomfortable feelings associated.
What if stress is thought of in terms of a challenge? The stressful situation or pressure would summon action and effort. A challenge engages abilities and resources.
Stress is commonly thought of as a drain, an energy zapper, something that interferes with what we want. Stress brings to mind discomfort, reducing, avoiding, and management.
When we think challenge, we think of strategy, plan, overcoming, achievement, and success. For example, take a life stressor, such as time management, and think of it in terms of a challenge: what would you do differently? Would your perception change? Would the strategy be the same?
Now evaluate, which concepts move you forward and which leave you stuck? What are your goals? What do you want to achieve? When you think of your goals, do stressors get in the way?
Acknowledge the feelings, list the challenges and create an action plan to overcome, move forward and achieve. This is the process coaches focus on. Are you ready to take on the challenge of stress?
