Stress is our body’s way of responding to any demand - good or bad.

It is important to remember that stress is not always a bad thing. It can help us escape difficult situations or meet deadlines.

Whenever our bodies react to any situation, our brain sends a flood of chemicals into our blood that give us strength, stamina and improves our reaction time to prepare us for a fight or flight scenario that may arise.

But, too much stress can be a bad thing.

Sometimes we can address these stressful situations and make the necessary changes. However, there are many situations that might feel out of our control - when we feel like we are not in control of the source of stress, so it becomes crucial to learn how to manage the effects of stress.

ARE YOU STRESSED?

The first step in addressing a problem is to identify that you have a problem.

A lot of us do not want to admit that our own bodies and brains might be working overdrive, and not in a good way. So, the first step is to ask yourself - am I stressed?

• Do you often feel useless, overworked or powerless?

• Do you often believe that other people are rushing by you and you cannot do anything about it?

• Do you feel swamped by your responsibilities?

• Do you feel like there isn’t enough time to do everything you need?

• Do you feel your life is spinning out of control?

• Do you feel everything is going wrong for you?

If you answered ‘yes’ even for one of the above questions, you are stressed.

But don’t worry! In this short course, we will help you identify sources of your stress and how to cope with them. You’ve got this!

And don’t forget: You are valuable. You are powerful. You can do this!