3 Things That Keep Stress Alive & How To Fight Them

by Raymund Tamayo

Recognizing these three obsessive behaviors will help get rid of problems coming from having too much unnecessary stress. 

1. Negativity. Negative thinking is unhealthy. Being cautious and prepared is one thing, but being pessimistic is another thing. Perhaps you've already heard of phrases like, "I can't do this!" or "No one understands!" or "Nothing ever works!" That's negative thinking. 

This kind of mindset holds an individual back from knowing what it is like to view life from a positive lens. It prevents a person from enjoying the beauty in front or around him. There's a whole world out there that we can enjoy... only if we choose happiness and positive thinking. 

2. Perfectionism. Obsessive perfectionism pushes one to try to do everything to the point of driving himself into an anxious state of being. Statements such as, "I have to do this right or I'll be a failure!" or "If I am not precise, people will be mad at me!" are the hallmarks of perfectionists.

This behavior interferes greatly with one's ability to enjoy things without feeling uptight and stressed. 

3. Overthinking. When someone is over-analyzing things, she finds herself wanting to re-hash a task or an issue over and over again. Phrases such as, "I need to look this over, study it, and know it inside and out... or else I can't relax!" or "If I relax and let things go without looking them over repeatedly, things go wrong!" are common in overthinkers. 

While analytical thinking is an excellent trait, you never get to stop and smell the roses if done in excess. This is because you become too busy analyzing everything and everyone around you. 

How to Battle Negativity, Perfectionism, & Overthinking

There are two things you can do if you find yourself engaging in any of the above obsessive behaviors. 

1. Ask the people you know, love, and trust to tell you the truth. Ask questions like, "Am I negative about things?", "Do I complain a lot?", and "Am I difficult to be around?" 

This may be hard for you to listen to, as the truth does hurt. But the insights you will get from their assessment of you is invaluable because you will know exactly how other people see you. 

Try to be teachable and accept their comments as helpful info. Realize you will gain amazing insights from what you hear. 

2. Keep a journal to write down and establish patterns of when you are having these obsessive behaviors. Even if you are not thrilled with the idea of writing, you can make little entries into a notebook or journal each day. 

The great part is you will begin to see patterns in your behavior revealing exactly what you are doing to yourself to increase your stress levels. From there, you can begin to avoid these patterns and establish new habits that are more beneficial for you and the people around you.