Stress Fractures

I want to make a connection between two types of stress fractures, one dealing with physical health and the other with the emotional side. Let's say I get a stress fracture in my leg or foot, what led to that? Repeated pounding and pressure was placed on it until it, quite literally, reached a breaking point. And the result? Constant pain and discomfort. The only real way to fix it is by resting it, staying off it.. Until you do, nothing will get better.

The other kind of stress is something that everyone deals with. Things pile up, get too hard or too much, never stop. That's part of life. So can this stress cause a fracture too? I would have to say yes. If you allow yourself to become overwhelmed or consumed by the events in your life, you will probably hit an emotional breaking point. And rather than demobilizing just a body part, you will render your entire self useless.

I'm not suggesting that there is a sure fix for this problem. Life will continue to be challenging. I get stressed just like everybody else, but I see a difference in how one might handle the situations they are faced with. As a student, employee, boyfriend/girlfriend, family member, and any other sort of responsibility or relationship we are engaged in, the bombardment of commitments will never stop. That part I am sure about.

I'm no doctor, but i'm sure there is a way to avoid a stress fracture of a body part. At the first sign of pain or discomfort, proper steps should be taken before there is a problem, not after. It may require more work, but in the end, the benefit will be greater. Here's what I've noticed in my own experiences when it comes to dealing with stress:

In most cases, stress doesn't hit all at once, but adds one thing on top of another. Think of it like holding a stack of books with your arms stretched out in front of you. Try starting with a stack of 20 books from the beginning, and you won't last long. But start with one, then another, and then another, until you've got all 20. At first, one book is a cake walk—even two or three books. But the more you add, the more the strain starts to wear on your muscles. I've often wondered how it ever got to that point. Even more, I start wondering why on earth I would be walking around holding 20 books with my arms stretched out. Who does that? It's your life, and who's to say you can't stop and set each book down as you go. Let the librarian pick them up.

Rather than freaking out, and stop functioning when a stressful situation hits, slow down. Take a step back. Then a deep breath. Now think about similar situations in the past, because I know it's not the first time that this has happened. And it won't be the last. In the end, things will work themselves out. They always do. How often have you been faced with a challenge and felt like you came up short of expectations? Almost never. That's not to say that you are perfect, or even that things will go exactly according to plan each and every time. Sure, you may have to spend a few sleepless nights, skip a few meals or maybe even sacrifice working on something else that's a little less important. But you'll find a way to get it done. Because you always do. Spending time stressing about something means you are wasting time that could be better spent doing something productive. It doesn't help anyone. It all comes down to how you react when these things come. I view stress as something you choose to let into your life, not something that is forced upon you.

So do yourself a favor and take care of those injuries before they become stress fractures. In the words of songwriter, Bobby McFerrin, "Don't worry, be happy." You might regret it if you don't.