Identify What’s Really Causing Your Stress

The first step in stress management is pinpointing your true stressors. Often, the most significant sources aren’t obvious. Stress can come from external pressures—deadlines, bills, family demands—but also from internal habits like negative thinking or procrastination.

Ask yourself:

• Do you shrug off stress as temporary, rarely taking breaks?
• Do you accept stress as part of your personality (“I’m just always anxious”)?
• Do you blame others or circumstances for your stress instead of recognizing your own role?

Understanding your contribution to stress is the key to regaining control over your life.

Keep a Stress Journal

A stress journal is a simple but powerful tool to track triggers and responses. Each time you feel stressed, write down:

• What triggered the stress
• How it made you feel physically and emotionally
• How you reacted or behaved
• What you did to relieve the stress

Over time, patterns will become clear, helping you see what consistently causes stress and how you respond.

Evaluate Your Current Coping Strategies

Take a close look at how you currently handle stress. Are your methods helpful, or do they make things worse? Many people fall into habits like avoidance, denial, or unhealthy distractions that prolong stress rather than relieve it.

Use your journal to identify strategies that work and those that hold you back, so you can start replacing unhelpful habits with healthier ones.

Healthier Ways to Manage Stress

If your current approaches aren’t effective, it’s time to explore better methods. Managing stress often involves changing the situation or changing your response to it.

Consider the “Four A’s” approach:

• Avoid: Minimize unnecessary stress when possible
• Alter: Adjust your environment or situation to reduce stressors
• Adapt: Shift your attitude and response to challenges
• Accept: Let go of things beyond your control

Because stress affects everyone differently, there’s no single solution. Techniques to try include:

• Mindfulness or meditation
• Regular physical activity
• Time management and organization
• Talking with a counselor or therapist

Focus on strategies that leave you feeling calm, empowered, and in control.

Frequently Asked Questions

Start Your Journey to Stress Relief in Hazlet

Stress doesn’t have to rule your life. At Positive Reset Hazlet, New Jersey, we provide personalized guidance and tools to help you manage stress effectively, improve your emotional health, and restore balance.