Think Your Coping is A++ Worthy?

So, I’ve got a loaded question for you…

How are you coping these days?

Are you aware how sharp your coping skills have become? And WHY?

Have you given any thought to just how MUCH coping you do?

My guess is probably not, because you’re simply too busy coping, right?

Coping is one of the best qualities we can have these days, so YAY YOU!

And, we yay US! Because I’m going out there and giving ALL of us an A++ for COPING this year.

Yep, every one of us deserves an A++ for shining that baby up to near mastery level!

Coping is a BIG deal.

Coping is how we humans – consciously or unconsciously – get through the stress and anxiety of all kinds of difficult crap and emotions.

The stress level in 2020 has been, well… special. 

… The massive loss of loved ones

… The snowball effect of this pandemic

… Escalating social unrest

… Dramatic climate change

… Oh, and crashing economies

And yet, we’re still coping….

This is exactly why clients are booking sessions with me.

Not only does coping fortify our motivation – have you ever stuffed yourself into a pair of Spanx?! – but, coping absolutely gets us through stuff.

It’s been our greatest resource through this year’s startling events.

But here’s the thing… Coping does have a dark side that can present a very slippery slope.

How we react to stressful situations, is different for each of us: There’s good coping and the not-so-good, slippery-slope kind of coping….

GOOD COPING

Healthy coping gives us the opportunity to deflate the intensity of our difficult reality:

… We can decompress

… We can gain perspective about what’s stressing us, and

… We can feel better equipped to deal with it more effectively.

Good coping strategies improve our overall sense of well-being and leave us feeling restored….

They help us accept and handle our difficulties in healthier ways.

They reduce our stress and make us more resilient.

UNHEALTHY COPING

When we overdo how we indulge, procrastinate, or avoid our reality, coping becomes a band-aid solution that takes a toll.

The stress and strain of these activities can morph into road blocks and chronic states of living with potentially negative consequences in the long-term.

Please, don’t let that happen to you!

Sure signs of unhealthy coping strategies are those activities that feel good in the moment, and then don’t.

Drinking an entire bottle of wine in an evening, is a good example: Initially, it might help us relax or tune-out, but later we may not feel so great. Who has ever been hungover?!

Any activity that results in additional stress is NOT healthy coping.

Actions like:

• Putting more effort and thought into avoiding our stress or reality, than finding ways to deal with it
• Added spending that strain finances
• Behaviour that is reckless or impulsive
• Actions of self-harm to our body

Healthy distractions ARE essential to our well-being.

But hey, I get it! When thoughts and feelings become difficult or overwhelming, we’ll go for instant relief every time.

As humans, we’re wired for fight-or-flight in times of fear or stress.

So it’s perfectly natural to look for immediate gratification to comfort and soothe ourselves, or instant avoidance to escape our pain and stress.

In the short-term, coping mobilizes us, but it’s not a strategy for long term solutions.

Guaranteed, unhealthy coping strategies have an energy that can take us down rabbit holes if we’re too complacent about how we’re distracting ourselves.

If you’re on the fence or questioning how healthy some of your distractions are, do a quick audit of your current coping strategies.

Here’s how! Be honest and ask yourself:

“Does this activity bring me relief and give me the capacity to return to the issues at hand with a better mindset?”

If yes, then it’s likely a healthy coping strategy.

If not, you might be on that slippery slope. Remember, anything that feels good when you initially engage in it, and then does NOT, is a red flag. A healthier strategy is needed!

EXAMPLES OF COPING STRATEGIES

Your Takeaway Tips…

Do continue your fierce coping skills – the healthy ones!

Do stop wasting effort on band-aid distractions that add to the stress and pain you’re trying to avoid.

Your resilience, well-being, and stress will thank you.

You’ve got this, bella!

Looking for better ways to cope? I can help you build healthy go-to strategies to restore your energy and improve your well-being.

Book a FREE Clarity Chat with me on my calendar by clicking this button.

Is your stress level keeping you up at night? Want to get a better handle on it and avoid potential burnout?

What do you do to cope these days?

I’d love to know… What go-to coping strategies do you use to get through tough times? Leave me your comments in the space below (and thanks for sharing!).