Things will go wrong. Your employer is going to shout at you. Your hard effort will be appropriated by someone else. Someone you care about will die. Your hopes might not materialize.

I mention this not to make you feel sorry for yourself, but to emphasize that there are outside forces that are out of our control. Although we are powerless to prevent stress and anxiety-inducing stimuli from the outside world, we can alter how we interpret such events.

Realizing that your perspective is what makes a situation worse is crucial. For instance, consider skydiving. While some people do it professionally, others wouldn’t jump out of a plane with a pistol to their head. What’s the difference? Whereas the former sees this experience as negative, the latter sees it as wonderful.

There is no “right” or “wrong” way to react to something, but you should be aware of how your feelings and unconscious thoughts are influencing how you see it. When something seems dangerous to you, it usually makes you feel more stressed. This isn’t always beneficial, but occasionally it is.

How to correct this?

By shifting from a thoughtless response to a conscious identification of the source of your stress and cultivating a sharp awareness of it. Just by waking the fuck up to it, this increased awareness has the power to significantly alter any stressful scenario you may be in.

And practising mindfulness gives you the ability to do just that.

How I Handle Stress In the Moment?

You’ll come up with your special techniques for managing stress as you continue your mindfulness practice, but here’s the checklist I use when shit hits the fan:

1. Acknowledge and accept your growing stress levels as soon as you become aware of them. You can relate to this completely if you have ever experienced stress. Saying to yourself, “I’m getting stressed right now,” is a simple tip. No matter how powerful the feeling is, don’t try to ignore it.

2. Enter your physical form. Now that you are aware of the onset of stress, locate the physical location of the tension. Breathe in and out of your shoulders, neck, and face while you scan these regions.

3. Breathe. Breathe deeply until your stomach fills up, hold it for a moment, and then release all the breath from your lungs.

4. Evaluate Your Monkey Mind. It’s acceptable to assess your level of reactivity in the present now that you have grounded yourself in your body and breath. Consider the situation from the perspective of a third party. Alternatively, consider the feelings of a youngster in this circumstance.

5. React Expertly. Proceed with deliberate and precise action. As previously stated, unpleasant things will inevitably happen, but practising mindfulness can help you respond appropriately and keep your thoughts at bay. Recall that while you cannot stop the waves, you can learn how to surf.