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## Rational Thinking and Stress - Many stress-related problems occur as a result of distorted thinking. - When we are stressed, we have an unbridled selective bias to attend to negative thoughts and images from the past, which affect our perception of the present and the future. - Distorted thinki...

## Rational Thinking and Stress - Many stress-related problems occur as a result of distorted thinking. - When we are stressed, we have an unbridled selective bias to attend to negative thoughts and images from the past, which affect our perception of the present and the future. - Distorted thinking can challenge us with distorted thinking. - Distorted thinking can result in the occurrence of irrational beliefs, driving out potentially troublesome negative anxiety-provoking thoughts and making positive statements. ## Nurturing Relationships - This consists of three essential skills: listening to what the other person is saying, expressing how you feel and what you think, and accepting the other person's opinions and feelings, even if they are different from your own. ## Self Care - If we keep ourselves healthy, fit and relaxed, we are better prepared physically and emotionally to tackle the stresses of everyday life. - When we are stressed or anxious, we tend towards rapid and shallow breathing from high in the chest with frequent sighs. The most relaxed breathing is slow stomach-centered breathing. - Environmental stresses like noise, pollution, space, light, colour etc. can all exert an influence on our mood and have a noticeable effect on our ability to cope with stress and well-being. ## Overcoming Unhelpful Habits - Unhelpful habits such as perfectionism, avoidance, procrastination etc. - Perfectionists are persons who have to get everything just right. They are more likely to feel and find it difficult to relax, are critical of self and others and may become overwhelmed by challenges. - Avoidance is to put the issue under the carpet and refuse to accept or face it. - Procrastination means putting off what we know we need to do are all guilty of saying "I will do it later."