Due to the circumstances of life we are continuously exposed to external factors which could result in stress. Long-term exposure to stress can have a negative impact on the physical and emotional aspects of our lives. It can eventually result in us getting "used" to stress. However, it still impacts on the manner in which we experience quality of life in a very subtle way. When this happens the individual no longer experiences job satisfaction and he starts to question the meaning of his life. He often feels as though he is involved in a long, drawn-out fight for survival. In short, the individual's general satisfaction with his life is being influenced negatively.
The primary objective of this series is to enable the reader to experience higher levels of satisfaction and a better quality of life through personal growth. This is done by getting the reader to face his own broken reality and by assisting him to be the best possible human being, despite his broken reality. When this series was compiled and written, all attempts were made to combine certain psychological principles with the Bible in an attempt to take the reader on a spiritual journey of self-discovery, self-acceptance and self-actualisation.
We hear about stress every day and you may experience it as part of your job and household activities. The question which arises is: what exactly is stress? Where does it come from? What happens to me when I experience stress and what are the implications of stress in my life?
Every person has sources. Sources refer to things such as possessions; personal characteristics such as a person's self-image (how do I see, experience and evaluate myself?); health and emotional abilities (ability to laugh, love, cry, etcetera); socio-economic status; career; important people in my life; time; etcetera.
These sources are of great value to the individual since it helps with the forming of his identity. In other words, my possessions, career, socio-economic status, time and people with whom I have meaningful relationships define not only who and what I am, but also my position in society. My self-image or self-evaluation depends on all the sources which I have at my disposal. This is the reason why people never fail to attempt to retain, protect and expand these sources.
Environmental conditions and things that happen in our lives often threaten these sources and could even result in diminishing or destroying such sources, resulting in the status, position in the community, economic status, loved ones, self-image, etcetera of the person involved, being threatened. Our reaction to this threat or possible loss of life sources often results in stress. A moderate level of stress is a good thing since it can activate people to deal with it constructively. Excessive levels of stress can, however, result in tension.
Join us on this journey in the next few issues of the Senwes Scenario!