DAILY HASSLES

Phdhttp://hrrev.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/the-stress-reaction/

When you think of stress, you usually think of the major stresses you may face: death, divorce, financial ruin, or a serious illness. And then of course there are those so-called moderate stresses: losing your wallet, denting the car, or catching a cold. Finally, you face the even smaller stresses: the mini-stresses and micro-stresses. These stresses are what are known as hassles.

             Here is just a sample of the kinds of hassles you face every day (a complete list would be endless):

 1. Noisy traffic

 2.  Loud neighbors

 3. Rude salesclerks

 4. Crowds

 5. Long waits for telephone customer-service representatives

 6. Deliveries promised “sometime between 9 and 5”

 7. Computers that crash

 8. Airport delays

 9. Cell phones that go off in theaters and restaurants

            Yes, I realize these things are relatively small. But the small things can add up. You can deal with one, maybe two, or even three of these at once. But when the number begins to rise, so does your stress level. When you reach a high enough level of stress, you overreact to the next hassle that comes along. And that results in even more stress. Alas, life is loaded with hassle. The funny part is, people usually deal fairly well with the bigger problems. Life’s major stresses — the deaths, illnesses, divorces, and financial setbacks — somehow trigger hidden resources within us. We rise to each demand, summoning up some unrecognized inner strength, and we somehow manage to cope. What gets to us are the little things. It’s the small stuff — the little annoyances, petty frustrations, and minor irritations — that ultimately lead to a continuing sense of stress.

Copyright © Allen Elkin Phd – Originally appeared in Stress Management for Dummies 2^nd edition by Allen Elkin