Step 1: Discovery

There is stress and then there is tension, the trick is in being able to tell the difference. To our body they are very similar – all stress – the difference is in how we hold them in our minds. This article explores this premise.

I am a teacher, and a lifelong learner. In recent years, I have taken on several steep uphill learning curves, such as learning to live in a new country, learning advanced technology, etc. Consistently I noticed that great tension is felt just before a breakthrough in learning and understanding.

Therefore, as a teacher, I suggest to students that when stressed in learning situations everyone focuses on aiding the growth (work harder) rather than focusing on diminishing the tension. Self-help guru Brian Johnson reminds us that if we see ourselves on a continuum from 1-10 and we are a 2 and our problem is a 5 then we feel stress, but if we are in a 9 then a 5 problem is no big deal. Its all about building our internal capacity so that we can handle the situation that is currently causing stress.  In any situation where we are stressed by the new, unusual or frightening this is likely to prove true.

There is a second way to look at stress, as an indication that we are currently more concerned about being done with the task then we are with the task itself. From a holistic viewpoint, we all have a greater purpose in life, and sometimes we may have difficulty seeing that purpose in the minute details of what we are doing. I think of call-in-for-support jobs as an example. It must be very hard to keep a positive focus when our job is to listen to people complaining all day long. Looked at from another point of view, if the person felt their purpose in life was to be helpful to others, this job could be seen as a way to help them fulfill that purpose. It all depends not on the task itself, but on how we think about the task in relation to our personal greater good. Any job can be pleasurable or miserable depending on our point of view.

Step 2: Measurable Action

Practical steps

Decide whether this energy you are currently calling stress is: 1) actually tension created by the learning, or 2) stress created by wanting to be finished with what you are doing.

If 1), take a deep breath and push harder. When we acknowledge and lean into the tension created by growth it becomes easier. Give yourself permission to feel the tension and it begins to go away.

If 2), then you need a change in perspective or in context. Not willing to quit the situation that has you stressed? Then take a step back and think about the general topics in life that make you happy. Do you like social interaction in general, then how can you increase the social interaction in this task? If you like yourself best when you are loving and caring, then see how you can make this task include loving and caring.
Share your situation with people you trust, see if they can help you change your perspective.

Step 4: Reflection

Tracesea and I are teachers. One of the less desirable parts of teaching is grading papers. When I just want to be done, my day is stressed. When I remember that what I love about teaching and learning and I read every paper looking for something I can learn, I have a much better day.

We look forward to your comments, and hope this discovery note was helpful.