The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.
We’ve all tried unhelpful coping techniques for stress like avoiding thinking about a problem, having an emotional outburst toward others, or simply doubling down on our former addictive behaviors. Stress management experts, however, try to steer people toward healthier coping strategies. Two examples of this are positive reappraisal, where we learn how to think about and restructure a problem in a positive way (as an opportunity for growth, for instance), and problem solving, where we actively approach a problem and take action to deal with it (by taking advice from our therapist or sponsor, for instance). Engaging in active stress-management techniques like these can be a huge help in our recovery.
Just for Today
Think about a current life stressor. Can you view it in a more positive light and develop a plan for addressing it? If not, ask for advice and assistance.