Managing Your Stress and Your Pets
©2005 Stanley Popovich

Our thanks to author Stanley Popovich for offering us this short essay on not taking your stress out on your pets!

Everybody deals with stress and anxiety, however some people sometimes take it out on their pets. Instead of taking your problems and frustrations out on your pets or other animals, here is a list of techniques that a person can use to help manage their stress, anxieties, and fears.

When facing a current or upcoming task that overwhelms you with a lot of anxiety, the first thing you can do is to break the task into a series of smaller steps. For example, changing careers can be a stressful situation. In order to help manage this task, try to divide this goal into a series of smaller steps and do each of these tasks one at a time. For instance, the first thing a person can do is to develop a resume and then find those companies where you would like to work. Once you mail your resume, you can then focus on the interviewing process. Completing these smaller tasks one at a time will make the stress more manageable and increases your chances of success.

Sometimes, we get stressed when everything happens all at once. Instead of taking it out on your pets, a person should take a deep breathe and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get your mind off of the problem. A person could take a walk, listen to some music, read the newspaper or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things. This mental timeout can help you refocus on your current situation.

In dealing with your anxieties, a person should learn to take it one day at a time. Instead of focusing on exaggerated assumptions that may or may not happen, focus on the present and take it one day at a time.

Sometimes, it helps to be able to talk to someone about our stressful situations. Talking to a trusted friend, counselor, or clergyman can not only make us feel better, but they might be able to give you additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. This is a lot more effective than yelling at your dog or cat.

It is not easy to deal with our stressful problems, however taking our frustrations out on your pets or other people will not make the problem go away. When things are not going right, try to remember to treat your pet as the way you would want to be treated.

Stanley Popovich is the author of A Layman's Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods; an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistant fears and anxieties. For additional information go here. You can find some free articles on managing fear by the same author here; Managing Fear