Master your stress with this clinically validated framework:
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Hello friend! 👋
Stress is an inevitable part of life.
But we may be experiencing an abnormal amount of it nowadays. Having the necessary skills to deal with stress will not only support you in keeping healthy (and in return the people you deal with), but it may also allow you to find creative ways to eliminate it (when possible).
After all, we may not be able to choose what happens to us, but we have a lot of control over how we respond to it — that’s a powerful skill to master.
Which is what we will discuss today.
Let’s dive straight in!
Responding vs Reacting
Happiness often comes down to one thing: choice.
Everything you do is for freedom—whether financial, emotional, or mental.
But sometimes just knowing you have the option is enough. Think about having the choice to work from home—even if you don’t use it, the choice itself feels liberating.
The same applies to your reactions. Recognizing you can choose how to respond is freeing.
Reacting on autopilot? You lose that power, letting your fight-or-flight system take over. Great for survival, but not in daily life.
Pause and remember your choice. It cuts stress, and responding thoughtfully gives you even more control.
Shooting Yourself With The 2nd Arrow
Pain happens—that’s the first arrow. But the second arrow? That’s the real problem.
It’s the story you tell yourself: ‘Why me?’ ‘This is forever.’ This second arrow often hurts worse than the first.
You can’t control the first arrow, but you can control the second. Self-judgment is draining and ‘twists the knife’.
Instead, use that energy for self-compassion. Reflect briefly, then move forward.
Don’t waste energy on the second arrow. Focus on recovery and living the life you want.
Being Mindful
Mindfulness is simple but not easy — especially in stressful moments.
Stress triggers your survival instinct, making you imagine the worst-case scenario. That’s great for true danger, but for daily stress, it only distorts reality.
Mindfulness helps you see things as they are — not bigger or scarier than they truly are.
Pause. Observe. Understand.
In doing so, you’ll find clarity and a more accurate sense of what’s truly happening.
Apply these strategies to your daily stressors and tell others what you learned to support them too.
With much warmth,
Hashim