Sometimes, I have something called perceived stress, which in some adverse conditions that I created in my mind. It is my perceived reality, but it is not real. It happens when I am overwhelmed with fear, and I am subconsciously feeling self-pity or resentful of a situation.
Everyone feels stress that manifests in several ways throughout a single day. Pausing and reflecting on what emotions I am feeling during the time of a particularly stressful time will usually stop the stressor before it turns into a self-imposed catastrophic meltdown.
The three top stressors for me are when I have a lot on my plate, and I have this fear that I cannot handle it all, and I end up getting stuck and paralyzed. In turn, this leads to my next stressor, which is time management.
I feel like there is not enough time in the day to get it all done. A third stressful situation for me is when I react badly to situations that I have no control over. Or if I put too much expectation on others and myself and I just get let down.
The way I handle all of this is that I remember when I wake up in the morning to pray for just a peaceful day for all. I meditate daily to keep myself grounded.
I write out a gratitude list if I am really stressed about something because, many times, for me, stress starts with a feeling of inadequacy. Feelings are not facts; they are just my belief in a false reality. I also remember that I am not perfect, and if I go through life’s challenges even when I do not want to, that is progress.