How To Handle Stress
by Adrian Grenier
I can’t entirely escape stress. No one can. Our collective experience requires that we endure at least a certain amount of anxiety, especially when we strive for bigger goals that take us outside our comfort zone. However, striving, and even stressing (a bit) are actually important to success, so I will try to give some insight into how I manage it, so it doesn’t rule me and get in the way of achieving my goals. The key is not to run from it, but to embrace it so it doesn’t overwhelm or become debilitating.
When presenting myself to the world, whether in business or entertainment I generally want to project an air of confidence, of being in control. I think this is common because we all want the outside world to get the impression that we are on top of our game and that we can reliably get the job done. We often ignore stress, or pretend that nothing gets to us; that we are undaunted. The causes of stress are also always shifting and changing, depending on the specifics of what is being demanded of us. Identifying the stressors may prove to be difficult or illusive.
So for these reasons, my main objective is to attempt to pay attention, acknowledge and almost welcome the stress. Stress is an indicator. It yields information and insight. It’s important. I never all-out reject stress. I listen to it. I let it tell me what it is I should be aware of. Once I have recognized what the stress is trying to tell me, only then will I relieve it of its duty, dismissing it wholly, yet respectfully.
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