Take It Down a Notch

Chanukah makes me think of flames. Flames me think of light and fire. And that makes me think of stress management strategies.

Light and Dark

The quality of our days and our relationships depends on how “bright” they are. When our lives and dealings with people are colored with strife and stress we enter a state of gloom — a dark murky place where our energies stagnate. We lose hope and motivation; we feel sad. On the other hand when things are going well with our dealings with the world we feel happy energized enthusiastic — everything “lights up.”

Although we’re all affected by external circumstances those who manage to maintain a steady healthy glow are not necessarily those for whom everything falls easily into place. Rather those who know the secrets to mood management can maintain a bright mood more consistently than others no matter what challenges they face. One of the important skills they possess is the ability to maintain perspective.

In the Scheme of Things

Although there are many unhealthy habits that contribute to feelings of overwhelm and negativity one common thought pattern deserves special attention: lack of perspective. As we live our daily lives we sometimes develop a tunnel vision — a way of viewing things that makes them seem as if nothing else exists. With tunnel vision small things can become extraordinarily important their ramifications and implications greatly exaggerated.