How To Deal With Stress—Afterthought

One of the keys of learning how to deal with stress is afterthought. This could also be called reflecting or retrospection.

Afterthought is the process of taking the time to constructively reflect on what we have said and done, in connection with the other people involved. Learning to do this effectively is central to knowing how to deal with stress.

Many times we just bumble along, hardly considering what has happened, other than a sort of superficial glance back. So, we just remain the same, year after year, repeating the same mistakes over and over again. This is so unnecessary and sad!

Many times I have found myself hurrying to get a job done, but for some reason it seems to take longer than it should. So, I hurry even
more to make up the lost time, to no avail. The hurrieder I go, the
behinder I get!

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When it finally sinks in that I get more done by working smart, I slow down, focus on the details, do it right the first time. What do you know?! It gets done more quickly, I'm not as tired, everything seems easier.

So, it makes sense to slow down, think, take careful aim and enjoy the ride! Making use of afterthought helps teaches us how to deal with stress and helps us to be more effective and peaceful.

Using afterthought to know how to deal with stress

Afterthought is the other wing of visualization. It takes two wings to fly. Otherwise we just go around in circles. Once we learn to still our mind and open ourselves to correction, we will discover that we have an internal guide.

Perhaps it is our conscience, maybe it is the Holy Spirit, a guiding angel or spirit, I don't know. Nevertheless, this voice within can teach us many things, but if we only take the time to listen. If you will not listen, you will never learn how to deal with stress.

Often we will be relieved to discover that we have been approaching something in the wrong way. Now we can take action to make some effective change!

I know a man who once drove very efficiently on his way to Urbana, Indiana. He was making great time when he found out that he was headed to the wrong city. It should've been Urbana, Ohio!

He was wasting his time, even though he was doing everything in the right way, everything except the destination! Efficiency is not always the same as effectiveness.

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We often do this to ourselves, spend time and energy getting nowhere
because we never really took the time to listen. Listening to the little voice is key to learning how to deal with stress.

Retrospect is like the script to be used in visualization. It is the words we should've used, or the actions we might have taken. Everyone has experienced this, many times, for example, when you say to yourself, "Oh, why didn't I say that!"

These reflections are similar, but taken to a level where they become a part of your inner voice. These corrections are not harsh and nagging. They are gentle, but very persistent. They are trying to teach us how to deal with stress.

Only when we ignore them repeatedly do they fade away and leave us alone.
Learn to slow down and listen. Sometimes it's hard to take the time, but it is always well worth it. Knowing how to deal with stress will make our life much happier and easier.