Sunday 16 August 2009

Stress is different things to different people!

Just like that, Spain is in holiday mode. The beach down the road is heaving. Giddy shrieks and yelps of playing children can be heard over the gentle and peaceful lull of cows bells. City folk struggle to navigate their cars on our winding roads here in the country. Houses that are locked and deserted for most of the year are suddenly thrown open and instantly inhabited with people determined to get away from it all.

Unlike the US and the UK, everyone in Spain goes on holiday at the same time – during the month of August. So, for the month you can forget about going to many restaurants, museums or shops.

But like the US and the UK, the economy has certainly seen better days. As a consequence, this year many Spaniards have opted for breaks within their own borders. The province I call home, Asturias, seems to be a very popular choice among them.

Recently while enjoying a glass of wine at my local bar, the TV (that features prominently in every Spanish bar) showed a news reporter asking those on holiday what they were looking to do during their time off. Every single person responded by saying that what they wanted to do was to de-stress and chill out.

Some of those being interviewed were lawyers. Others were doctors. The ones most sheepish to reveal their occupations were – no surprise – the bankers. And then, there was a hairdresser. This caused more than one person in the bar to chuckle with comments ensuing about why on earth a hairdresser would need to de-stress.

I found this incredibly interesting. No-one had a problem with understanding why a lawyer, doctor or banker would need to relax and recharge their batteries. But when it came to the woman who cut hair for a living, there was a consensus that she was overreacting and being more than a little self-indulgent.

What the people in the bar didn’t know is that according to one survey being a hairdresser is one of the most stressful occupations you could have. One slip of the scissors and that hair-do is a hair-don’t.

How many times have we brought in pictures of some celebrity whose hairstyle we coveted only to be disappointed to the point of tears when the stylist having done their best failed to pull the transformed rabbit out of the hat? Did we admit how silly we were in the first place trying to look like someone else? No, we blamed the person holding the hairdryer.

Even when it all goes according to plan, reflect on what we talk about when getting our hair cut. Usually it’s one complaint after another. A haircut for so many is just an excuse for a moan and a whinge – whether it’s about the job, the partner, the kids or whatever.

Stop and think about the hairstylist who stands there doing their job with all that negative energy being directed at them for at least eight hours a day. Now, tell me that poor soul doesn’t deserve a holiday to de-stress!

I’m not saying that being a hairdresser is more stressful than other jobs. Each job has its issues that must be confronted and dealt with. What I’m trying to get to this week is that what is one person’s stress is another’s stimulation. That’s right, what might stress you might be just the excitement that I need to get motivated.

Stress affects everyone differently. Some people love hearing other people’s problems as it reminds them how good they’ve got it. The same situation might create anxiety in others as they might feel pressured into coming up with solutions. Some people love to take to a stage whenever and wherever they can. Others of us would rather make ourselves sick to get out of being the centre of attention.

In short, stress is simply not one-size-fits-all.

Even going on holiday can be a stressful experience. There’s getting to the airport or driving to your destination. There’s the challenge of spending time with people you may or may not get along with all that well. The comfort zone is nowhere to be seen. And if you’re going abroad, there’s the added complications of a foreign language and non-stop currency conversions.

But hang on, I thought that we all looked forward to our holidays? Well, I’m just saying that for some the cure to stress could actually be yet another stressor.

So, if you find yourself stressed this summer or any other time of the year, what can you do? At the top of my list of stress-busters would be exercise. Study after study has proven that physical activity stimulates chemical reactions in the brain that elevate the mood and decrease stress levels.

Letting your hair down while not overindulging can help us deal with stress. Breaking out of our normal routines can be really good for us – so long as we don’t go wild. Having too much alcohol is anything but relaxing. Moreover, the time spent getting over a hangover is wasted time – pure and simple. And I’ve not even mentioned all the arguments or obnoxious and inappropriate behaviour people engage in when they’ve had one too many.

Breathing is another great way to relieve stress. We all do it. But how well we do it is another matter entirely. If you missed my article on breathing some time back, you can check it out here.

I also encourage people who are feeling stressed to seek help. This can take a number of forms. It could mean simply that you promise yourself that you won’t do it all and enlist the assistance of those around you to complete all the necessary tasks. Alternatively, it could mean talking to someone like a friend or even a professional for advice and support.

Regardless of the technique, the main thing is to do something about your stress. Doing nothing is singularly the worst thing you could do. Don’t do it. Don’t do it to yourself. Don’t do it to those around you. And just because one technique doesn’t work doesn’t mean that there’s not another technique out there for you.

Teaching people how to live more authentic and peaceful lives with less stress is one of the many things that I do in my Intuitive Life Coaching Sessions. If you’re struggling with stress, then perhaps I might be able to help. If you’ve ignored your stress for too long and it’s already affecting your health, then you might want to consider one of my Medical Intuitive Readings.

If you are ready to accept that challenge and behold the awesome potential of your own powerhouse, then let’s get started today!

And don’t forget about my Journey to Power forums. Please join me there. I look forward to your postings!

Finally, this week over at PsychicBridges, I take a look at what the term clairvoyance means. Find out when seeing isn't seeing. Read my article here.

I always welcome your thoughts and feedback on IntuitiveBridges, so let me hear from you by clicking here.

Until next week,

Kindest regards,

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