Stress is a curious beast. Often you don’t know you’re suffering until it’s too late. Sometimes you only realise you were stressed AFTER the event. Why is this?

Stress creeps up slowly

Stress is rarely caused by an isolated incident. It is usually cumulative and creeps up on you. This is how is tricks you. You think you’re OK because nothing dramatic has happened. You may not feel too much different from yesterday or last week, but you are gradually becoming more stressed.

Why a glass of water?

Imagine holding a glass of water for a couple of minutes. No problem right?

Imagine if you held this same glass for a hour. Your arm would probably ache a little, but you’d be OK.

Now imagine you held this glass all day. Your arm would be destroyed!

In these 3 examples, the load on your arm was the same. It was the amount of time that differed. A small stress placed on you long enough can have a dramatic effect.

Modern life

You’re not designed to deal with modern stresses, such as your mortgage payments or problems at work. So you’re not very good at dealing with them.

You’re designed to deal with more basic problems such as being chased by a predator or a dispute over food.

Whilst these are stressful events, they can be dealt with swiftly by taking action. Problem solved.

When you’re stuck in a 3 hour traffic jam, knowing your boss is angry, and you need that promotion to pay off your debts, what can you do about it? You can’t smash your way through the traffic. No – you have to sit there and take it.

Your stress slowly builds and you have no immediate resolution. Your urges scream out for you to take action, but you know you can’t – not in modern society.

The boulder and the glass of water

Our ancestors had to pick up a boulder to deal with their problems, but they could quickly throw it down again. They had time to recover.

We have to hold that glass of water for hours on end. Then as soon as we can put it down, it’s time to pick it up again.

This is why modern life can be more stressful than life thousands of years ago. We led more natural lives. We had stress, but we could meet it head on and deal with it. The stresses of modern life are more subtle and prolonged.

Remember, given enough time, water can erode the hardest of rocks.

Final thoughts

Don’t let anyone tell you that life is easy and you shouldn’t feel stress. Our unnatural lives create unnatural stress that we ALL find challenging to deal with.

We aren’t supposed to have these niggling stresses that stay with us for days, weeks and sometimes months at a time. They may not be huge problems, but they build up, and slowly grind you down.

You need to find coping strategies to help you take a breather, and put down that glass of water. Never underestimate the effect small but consistent pressure has on you.

Need some advice? CLICK HERE for my Top 10 Tips To Help You Reduce Stress.