Managing Stress on the High Seas

Imagine that you are the captain of a ship sailing through a stormy sea. Giant waves push your boat toward a rocky shore. Heavy rain makes it difficult to see. The GPS system is malfunctioning. Your second mate is out of commission due to sea sickness (probably should have picked a different line of work). Stressful, right?

Perhaps your travels through college feel the same way at times. Your courses are stormy, your study skills are malfunctioning, and you feel like you are getting pushed toward a financial wreck. You, too, might feel stressed out.

Much of the stress may come from the belief that things are beyond your control, the feeling that you are in a small dinghy getting tossed about by the whims of a powerful storm. But this is a false belief. Certainly, you cannot control all the storms of your life, but you can grab a hold of the steering wheel and pilot your ship as best you can.

"I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul," asserts William Ernest Henley.

So, then, one technique of stress management is to recognize that you have the power to influence the outcomes of your life. Staring into the eye of the storm can be stressful and immobilizing. However, recognize that you can choose how you respond to the circumstances you face. Accept the power you have to act and keep your focus squarely on your goals.

The rain will be cold and the wind will be lashing at times - that is just life. However, you can reduce the stress of these situations by believing in your ability to safely pilot your way through any storm. It will take courage, resiliency, and support from those around you, but the storms are no match for the power you hold within yourself.