The Impact of Stress or Trauma

Stress or Trauma

By Cathy Austin

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching Stress Management to an audience.

As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the Half empty or Half full question.

Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired:

How heavy is this glass of water?

 Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, The absolute weight doesn’t matter.

It depends on how long I hold it.

If I hold it for a minute,

It’s not a problem.

If I hold it for an hour,

I’ll have an ache in my arm.

If I hold it for a day,

My arm will feel numb and paralyzed.

In each case,

The weight of the glass doesn’t change.

But

The longer I hold it,

The heavier it becomes.

She continued,

The stresses and worries in life, are like that glass of water…

Think about them for a while and nothing happens.

Think about them for a bit longer and they begin to hurt.

And

If you think about them all day long,

You will feel paralyzed-

Incapable of doing anything…

Remember to put the glass down.

Learn more about managing stress Counseling and Coaching in Colorado