Experiencing pressure or stress is normal. Everyone is faced with many forms of pressure to learn, work and achieve. What matters is how you keep pressure in perspective and manage it.

 You cannot eliminate the pressures of life, but you can learn to handle them. Pressure challenges and motivates you to do better. Learn to embrace pressure and utilize it to your advantage and you will experience a great deal of success and satisfaction in life.

 Answer the following questions to test your stress management skills:

1.      You face a project deadline, and you are behind schedule. Would you:

a.      Give up because the project was too stressful?

b.      Be a cheat and finish the project, but with only half of the effort because the pressure was too much?

c.      Roll up your sleeves, face the pressure and give your very best effort?

2.      A friend is pressuring you to stop eating so much junk food. Would you:

a.      Break your friendship because a real friend would not pressure you so much?

b.      Argue that you are too busy to be concerned with what you eat?

c.      Accept your friend’s concern, and change your eating habits?

3.      One of your cousins is pressuring you to side with him in a family conflict. Would you:

      a.  Take his side because he is pressuring you to do so?

      b.  Tell him you are on his side, but behind his back explain to your family that you are not really on his side?

      c.  Tell him that although you are family, you will not be pressured into taking sides?

 If you answered “a” to any of the questions above, then you may not manage pressure or stress very well. You most likely avoid managing pressure, only to face even tougher situations. If you answered “b” then you also may not be very good at managing pressure, yet you try to hide the fact. If you answered “c” then you manage pressure well and you are strong enough to stand up for yourself and admit when you are wrong.

 The happiest and most successful people share one thing in common: they all work best when their backs are “against the wall.” You can rise to the occasion or buckle under pressure. Only you are in control of how you manage pressure. The choice is yours.  NAPMA