I’M SO STRESSED OUT!

I received a message from a special someone inviting me to become his resident article blogger writer (wachamacallit) in a blogsite he have just created and without a second thought, I accepted the invitation.

Writing my first article, however, gave me a hard time more than I expected. First, because, I am into a rush of things—completing lists at work, researching, reading, reviewing and writing case digests. Second, my hand is already black and blue due to the first cause. Lastly, my mind is polluted with stress brought by my busy life. Then from there, I created the title.

We all experience stress. Today’s rapidly paced society and complex environment creates stress for many of us. Air and noise pollution, traffic congestion, crime, excessive workload, name all those factors that constantly pressured you to accomplish more and more in less and less time. Then add foreseeable or unexpected events that comes into our attention—death, getting stuck in a traffic, disaster, calamity, losing your wallet, recitation, quiz and exams! All of these cause stress.

Stress is a feeling created in reaction to particular events. It is the body’s way of mounting to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation with focus, strength, stamina, and heightened alertness.

However, people’s reactions to stress differ widely: some develop serious psychological or physical problems and others may find themselves in a challenging and interesting situation or environment. Let me quote at this point a text message forwarded to me by a friend. It says, “When it rains, all the birds fly for shelter but the eagle alone avoids the rain by flying above the clouds. Problems are common to all but attitude makes the difference.” I really don’t know if the bird scenario is a factual statement but the essence of the quote matters to me.

The invitation I responded to made me realize that I am one of the others and not one of the some. Nonetheless, I am also like the birds that fly for shelter when it rains and not like the eagle that will fly above the clouds.

I, being the social stratification theory advocate, have always view every event and everyday happenings as part of my providence. No matter how stressful an event is, I always see it as a challenge to test my capabilities and limits. I believe that change might be a conflict yet it is normal and always should be an opportunity for growth rather than a threat to security. I have personally observed that stress is easier to tolerate when its cause is shared by others. In our Land, Title and Deeds class, we were given more than 50 cases to digest for four Thursdays. Individual anxiety (which is obvious with most of my classmates) tend to be forgotten when the cases are divided into working teams. Companionship (of friends), then, distract us (UPang 2nd year Law Students ’08-’09) from our worries. Other people like family and special someones bolster self-esteem by providing support financially, morally and spiritually.

Hence, like the birds that fly for shelter, I know that I am a being with limited capabilities; that rather than being alone flying above the white cottony mass of air and water, being with other creatures like me in a strong branch of tree is a time for me to enjoy being still; and that the rain is a signal for me to stop to rest, for me to be able to cope and fight stress again.

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The writer stopped after writing 12 case digests out of 56 cases in one of her law subjects to write this article. She still need to study and review in the evening for a recitation after working in a legislative district office the next day. Aside from the 56 cases she is digesting, she also needs to digest more than 50 cases more all in all in her other law subjects.

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NOTE: Originally published in Praetorian '03, August 20, 2008. Written on August 18, 2008 at 7:20 PM