Stress Mastery: The Art of Coping Gracefully

Chapter Summary

You cannot always control or change the stressors in your life, but you can always change your response toward these stressors. Adopt the witnessing stance (that is, becoming self-aware and viewing yourself and your situation from a distance) and notice how much easier it is to change your habitual responses. Developing the stress hardiness attitudes of control, commitment, and challenge will greatly improve your resistance to stress. Remember, it is important to believe that you have control, that you are responsible for the outcomes in your life, and that you have the resources to influence outcomes. It helps if you have a high level of commitment and involvement, a love of life, in which you believe that what you do is important ...