Ever feel like this is you? |
I have been carrying around a lot of stress recently. I have piled it up on my shoulders, determined to struggle alone with my burden, not wanting to throw it off on anyone else. It has pulled my mood down, and instead of keeping a delightful air about myself, I succumb to the sarcastic and slightly negative. There have been times in my life where I have been stressed worse, and I am sure there are many of you out there thinking “buddy you don’t know what stress is,” but for some reason, this particular bout of stress seemed to carry a little more weight than it should have.
Stress shares characteristics with the physical properties of pressure dynamics. Imagine a closed pressure chamber in which exists air contained at the pressure equal to outside the chamber. Now, by adding more air into the chamber, the pressure increases. As more and more air continues to enter the chamber, the pressure climbs higher and higher. Internally, the environment is gradually becoming more hostile. As the pressure climbs, so does temperature. The air becomes thicker as more and more molecules are forced to exist in the same space. The walls of the chamber are designed to withstand a particular amount of internal force, but when the pressure exceeds that amount - BOOM! The chamber blows.

This particular stress episode of mine stemmed from feeling overwhelmed at the variety of my responsibilities. I felt like I wasn’t able to fully accomplish anything I set out to do because of all the other things looking over my shoulder. If I took a moment to relax, I felt guilty because there was a pile of work I needed to do in my office. If I took a second to work on a personal project, my professional work grumbled. While I worked on teaching schedules, I couldn’t help but feel that I was neglecting the activities that lead to a happier life. It never seemed to stop. My pressure was building.

This is what it is like when someone blows.
We each have varying degrees of containment grids. Some of us can withstand quite a bit of stress, while others can barely take any at all. I am pretty certain we each understand our individual limits, but I am not sure we are all certain of how to find a release of that internal stress pressure before we blow.
For me this week, my release came from simply having a conversation with Samantha about it. For weeks, I succumbed to the stupid masculine idea that I was strong enough and didn’t need to burden her with my worries. All I succeeded in doing was to give her the impression I was in a funk - which was true. Finally, I admitted to her what all was bothering me. I spilled the beans. While I spoke, I could feel the stress leaking out of me. The next morning I felt so much better. The stress was still there, but it was manageable.
I forgot that just because my stress burdens me, it won’t necessarily burden other people. Talking about my worries to Samantha didn’t add to any worries she might have, but it relieved the pressure I was feeling on the inside. I will not be blowing anytime soon.

If you are stressing right now, find something to help let off some of the steam. Maintaining a positive balance takes concentration and focus, but the results are worth it. For those times when the stress seems to pile up, just remember what will happen if you don’t let it out. Think the Ghostbusters.
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