The Dual-Faced Nature of Stress: Danger and Survival

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Stress is usually looked at like an enemy. It is an emotional state of being put under demanding circumstances. Even though it makes you feel uneasy and frustrated at times, stress is not always a bad thing. Without the ability to feel stress humankind wouldn’t have survived. Our Neanderthal ancestors, for example, used the onset of stress to alert them of a potential danger, such as a pack of wolves. When you feel you may be in danger your body activates “fight or flight,” which releases hormones and chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol. The fight mode can happen when we encounter a threatening type of stress and it prepares us to fight off the danger that we are encountering. Flight can help in dangerous situations by giving you a rush …show more content…

My three goals are to buy a house, obtain my degree and start a career. By getting my degree I will be able to get a higher paying job in a field that I am passionate about. In a previous class I took a Locus of Control assessment that tells you whether you have an internal Locus of Control, which is when you take control of your responsibilities for your own success or if you have an external Locus of Control, which means you think that external forces, like luck, play a part in the outcome of something. I found that I have a very strong sense of internal control, which I think is going to be beneficial in accomplishing my goal of finishing college. Maintaining strong control of your work can develop into gaining knowledge, skills and abilities. I believe that the amount of effort that you put into something is what you will in turn get out of it or like Newton said “every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” For example, if I work hard and complete all of my classes I will be rewarded with my degree. However, if I do not complete my classes with passing grades, then I will not reach my goal of obtaining my degree. I think that my current goals have a domino effect when it comes to accomplishing them. If I get my degree, then I will be able to get a career started and after I start working, then I will be able to save money to buy a house. Overall, my …show more content…

It will allow me to be independent and to feel like I am an adult. I think that I will be able to accomplish this goal about a year after I start working. I should be able to save enough money for a down payment on a house. I think that this goal could also take some time to complete depending on my salary and other expenses I may encounter, like if my car breaks down. I think that setting a budget will help to stay organized and can help reduce stress. As I achieve each goal it will be a big stress reliever. It will also allow me to focus on one goal at a time. Right now the most stressful goal is completing all of my classes and getting my degree. It is a lot of work in its self and then to add work on top can build up fast. I think that if I stay focused and not let too much work build up I can keep my stress at ease and continue working to accomplishing my

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