Everyone has stress but (see a blog without a BUT is very stressful!); it is not the problem which causes stress but the fact that we do not have any control over it!
Robert mentioned this in Why Zebras do not get ulcers!
Now imagine this situation;
You are placed in a room and presented with a sound at a particular loudness which is supposed to induce stress!
By default it would induce stress!
Then you are given a Lever or a shown a button and informed that you can press the button and the sound will get better or less loud!
As expected the presence of the button reduced the stress levels!
The more interesting thing here is what is revealed next!
The button does nothing!
Even if the button does nothing; the mere thought that you have some control over your stress is ENOUGH to reduce your stress!
That is the crux of the matter!
We get stressed on things which we do not have control on or cannot control! But the moment we believe that we can control the situation; the stress reduces or goes away!
There has been similar experiments on rodents with similar results!
This reminds me of the famous flow chart of stress or problem where it was advised that if you CANNOT do anything about it then just let it go and STOP worrying about it!
Robert Sapolsky argues that the core driver of psychological stress is not the stressor itself, but the loss of control!
When we face difficult circumstances, the lack of predictability, outlets for frustration, and social support turns acute biological reactions into chronic, health-damaging stress.
Of course the most easiest non stressful job is to give advice to others! While the most difficult stressful task is to follow your own advice!
It is all in the control!
Then again even if you are a queen you cannot have full control! Unless of course you are Maharani Gayatri Devi who was a symbol of women empowerment and grace!
Now you do not have any control of the time but you can control when you sleep (or at least lie down!)!
Shubh ratri…
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