Stress, or a Lack Thereof

I am leaving out names and details to protect the innocent.

This doesn't really have anything to do with running, but it's been on my mind when I run (does that count?)

I recently was reprimanded for not appearing to be stressed-out. Really. I was told that even though I hadn't done anything wrong, and in fact had done everything right, I still should have appeared to be stressed to satisfy the parties involved.

If I hadn't stifled my immediate reaction I would have asked the those parties, "What is the worst thing that ever happened to you? Was it a missed deadline? Did you lose a pet when you were a little kid? Did your high school girl/boyfriend break up with you?"

Perspective. When you experience many terrible, trying, life-changing things, your perspective tends to be different. Something that seems like a big deal to people who haven't experienced profoundly sad situations will not seem like a big deal to people who have because the latter group knows what real hurt and fear feels like.

This sort of a perspective is a blessing caused by a curse. A crude personal illustration: My dog threw up the other day. It was running, smelly, and voluminous. But because I watched my father die steadily for two years by the time I was 10 years old, I experienced the dog throw-up as something icky but minor. She didn't mean to do it, so I cleaned it up, gave her a pat on the head, and went on with my day.

Stress, with the exception of some pretty rare occasions (i.e muggings, car accidents, illnesses and deaths, etc.), is also a choice. While we can't control every situation, we can control every reaction to almost every situation. The beauty of this is that we don't even have to be one of the blessed/cursed folks who have experienced bad shit to control our stress levels. We can have had perfect lives and still choose not to be stressed-out.

Something funny I've noticed about stress is that showing it openly, like a prize, seems to be a product of the mundane. People who really experience stress in their jobs - ER doctors, pilots, firefighters, etc. - are experts at remaining calm under pressure. Those of us who work mundane jobs, watch mundane TV, and do as we're told are the ones who show stress the most. What's up with that?

I have made the decision not to be stressed except in those very rare circumstances I listed above. While I might get in trouble for it, I'm not going to compromise my mental state. So there!

Oh, and running helps.