Wouldn’t it be lovely to live a life wholly free of stress? Unfortunately, that just isn’t how life works and all of us will experience stressful periods in our lives, most often caused by a stressful trigger event.
With that in mind, it’s always a good idea to be aware of the various stresses and strains that could crop up and leave you feeling less than able to cope, so you can prepare for them and ensure that they don’t leave you struggling more than you really have to. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of life’s most stressful events and what we can do to deal with them…
Bereavement
There are few things more stressful than losing a loved one, whether they do peacefully in their sleep or after a long battle with illness. Some people, when they are bereaved feel nothing but sadness, while others experience stress, anger, shock, and sometimes even guilt. So, it’s fair to say that it can really cause a lot of stress.
Dealing with a bereavement looks different for everyone, but one thing that will help most people to deal with it more effectively is self-care. When you have lost a loved one, it is more important than ever that you take good care of yourself. East a healthy diet, get plenty of sleep, and don’t heap too many things on your plate; give yourself time to process what has happened and seek support from loved ones or a trusted counselor.
Talking about your bereavement can often help to get your feelings out of your head where they are easier to look at more effectively and manage so that you can get some headspace. That doesn’t mean it will be easy – a bereavement takes time to get over, but it will help you to handle your emotions in a more beneficial way.
Divorce
Divorce, or separation from a partner, is not a bereavement in the truest sense, but it can often feel that way, so it is not surprising that you would find it second on this list of stressful life events.
Even when a relationship is ended mutually and in a grown-up manner, it can be tough. You have all these emotions swirling around your head and you don’t know what to do about them. On top of that, you have financial and legal matters to deal with, not to me on breaking the news to the kids if you have them. Disentangling two lives can be very messy, but it is possible to get through it.
When going through a divorce or separation, you need to spend time with family and friends, living, laughing, loving, and maybe even crying on their shoulders. You also need to give yourself space and time to process what is happening and seeing a counselor can help you with that.
If you have children, explaining to them factually what is going to happen, and reassuring them that it‘s not their fault and you both still love them will go a long way to soothing their fears, but depending on how well they react, hiring a therapist to help them through it could be beneficial too.
Financial problems
One of the most common causes of stress in our lives is our money. Or should that be a lack of it? Money is something that we all need to live our lives; however, if it is not managed correctly, then financial problems can spiral out of control and be hard to put right.
When it comes to getting on top of your money, the main thing that you need to do is to take back control of it. Rather than hide away and bury your head in the sand, you need to be aware of the problems and do what you can to make them right again. This can be hard to do, and it may be scary to face the true extent of the situation, but it is a vital part of the process.
Getting married
While getting divorced is stressful and full of heartache, getting married can also be stressful but filled with a lot more happiness. You will need to plan for and think about many things, along with lots of interactions with friends or family members that can leave you feeling emotionally drained, particularly if you have lots of conflict in and between your families.
Add into this that weddings can be costly, and you have a melting pot of stress. It is a good idea to try and focus on your end goal when it comes to wedding stress. Sure, it is stressful along the way, but by the end of it, you will be happily married to one another and will be able to spend your lives together.
Moving house
Moving home is another time in our lives that is exciting, but that can be incredibly stressful. You will be packing up your entire life and house before moving it to a new house. Of course, you will be looking forward to the future and what this means for you and your family. Still, you will also feel emotional about the change, particularly if you have an emotional connection to the property you live in.
Other factors can also make moving house tricky; this includes moving to a new area, a new city, or a new country. Or it could be moving with children. When you are moving home, the key thing to do is to try and break everything down into manageable steps. That way, you can work through them slowly and give each aspect of your move the time it needs and the focus it needs.
Retirement
You may think that the idea of stopping work and retiring is fantastic, but the truth is, retiring can be just as stressful as getting a job or working in the first place. There is a number of thoughts that can go through your mind when you are retiring. You may worry about how you will manage money-wise or what you will do to fill the time.
You may even be concerned about your own identity and who you are; after all, for many people, work and their career is a key part of their personality and who they are. Much like many things on this list, it is essential to see your retirement on the positive side, that it is your chance to spend some time on yourself and slow down after many years of running around and focusing on your work. It could also be your opportunity to spend time with your family, your friends or your partner, especially if they are retiring too.
Chronic illness
Living with a long-term illness or health condition is something that many people do, but that can take a toll on them and those around them. There are some things that you are going to have to cope with. You may need to stop working, you may be in pain, and you may not be able to interact with your friends and family as much as you used to.
You may also be concerned about how you and your family will cope with money, especially if you were the breadwinner or even if your wages were just enough to top up what your partner earned. This can be a huge concern when really you should be doing as much as you can to take care of yourself and to try and recover from your illness, or manage it as best that you can while you are feeling the impact.
When it comes to life with an illness, there is a good chance that you will find support from a charity, organization, or network that relates to your condition and the impact that it has on your life. They can advise you on what to do and what to expect, as well as put your mind at rest for the future.
Raising children
Being a parent is one of the best things that you can ever do; however, raising children and getting them to adulthood isn’t always that much fun. There are many points where things can be challenging, but there isn’t much that prepares you for dealing with the transition into adulthood.
Teenagers can cause you quite a lot of stress (as well as feeling stressed out themselves about their own situation). Exams, friendship issues, worries about social interactions, and a whole lot of hormones, those years can be incredibly tricky for you all.
However, you need to try and think about what life is like for them. Try and be calm with dealing with them and do the little things that they need to keep them healthy. This includes encouraging them to eat well, limiting their screen time, and getting the right amount of sleep.
As you can see, various points in your life can leave you feeling stressed out, anxious, worried, or down. However, the good news is that no matter how hard life may feel and no matter what may be happening in your life, things won’t always be that way.
If you can get through things when they are hard, just imagine what you can achieve when things look much brighter.