There is no need to try to purr yourself through your instinct to attack.
We all know that stress causes terrible health problems and might even make you gain weight, break out in hives and ignore your dog. But asking Type A individuals to “relax” is like asking a tiger not to pounce – and it can cause intolerable levels of anxiety.
Since nobody wants tiger anxiety, here are some tips for “Type A Stress Relief,” with help from Well Stated by Canyon Ranch.
Attack, Attack, Attack
There is no need to try to purr yourself through your instinct to attack. So, go ahead, attack the gym, the tennis court, the hiking trail – just attack, attack, attack, until you feel the endorphins race you to your happy place and pump some of that relentless energy out of your body.
“Exercise is a great stressbuster” for that Type A you, notes Well Stated, and “it naturally works with your go-go nature.”
Slow the Pounce
As we’ve established, Type As and tigers love to pounce. And you know that about yourself. You crouch and release quickly and effectively, which can be hurtful and difficult to recover from if you are coming down hard on a business associate with whom you will have to continue working. While Type As can swiftly spring on from that painful conversation or text sent in a split second of frustration, the rest of the animals in the business jungle may not.
Well Stated suggests, sort of, that you be a smart little tiger and try very very hard to “allow yourself 10 deep breaths before doing anything else,” even if you have to growl at the same time. The online publication actually says, “If you can’t manage a full 10 breaths, start with three.” Three you can do, right? And even one minute focused on breathing can lower the stress hormone cortisol, it claims, and might even save a relationship from a painful, claws-out death.
Don’t Go It Alone
If you tell a Type A personality to go journal or meditate or think happy thoughts by themself, well that’s just crazy. As a Type A, you know you don’t want to be alone with that ramped up mind of yours demanding an insanely combustive burst of action RIGHT NOW!
Well Stated points out that “one of the ways you blow off steam is meeting up with friends after a long and stressful day at work.” Go find yourself a social setting. That’s right, go shoehorn one more thing into that day of yours! It just might minimize stress, foster a sense of belonging and boost your self-esteem.
Just knowing that you don’t have to go sit on a mat and listen to a story about walking through a beautiful forest with your eyes closed is enough to calm even the feistiest cats in the professional animal kingdom. QCBN
By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN
Bonnie Stevens is the editor of QCBN. She is a career journalist and public relations consultant. She can be reached at bonnie.stevens@gmail.com.
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