Our days are filled with many elements that can induce stress on our selves and our relationships. Stress is the pressure that is induced on us from stressors such as health, work, relationships, situations, and commitments. Stress can be good and bad. Stress that makes us more aware of things that may adversely affect us or excited about an upcoming event is considered good stress. Bad stress is a result of allowing stressors to create pressure on ones body, mind, and/or spirit. Causes of stress could be people, places, things, circumstances and incomplete needs. These causes of stress reflect psychologist Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs for human fulfillment. He stated that humans had five basic needs, the needs for safety, security, belongingness, affection, respect and self respect, and self actualization.

The effects of stress can impact our physical health, mental health, social relationships, and spiritual relationships. Stress can put undo strain on our cardiovascular, immune, muscular-skeletal, digestives, and reproductive systems. Have you ever noticed that when you are under a lot of stress, or after a period of stress, you seem to catch a cold? Did you ever notice that in times of stress you seem to have more headaches and/or muscle pain?

Stress can also affect our mental health resulting in poor concentrations, poor memory, miscommunications, unrealistic expectations, self-image issues, and relationships issues. Have you ever noticed at times of stress that you seem to become forgetful or hyper-vigilant? Have you noticed, when under stress that people sometime do not understand what you are trying to communicate or you have some difficulties relating to some people?

Have you ever noticed in times of stress that your quality time with God is overwhelmed by your sense of stress? Have you noticed that even in your prayer time is full of supplications to God for the release from the stresses of your life? Or have you noticed that in times of stress you are distracted from your relationship with God by your efforts to solely deal with the issues that are causing you the stress?

Although we cannot often control the stressors in our lives, we can find ways to control how we respond to these stressors. Some of the ways we can learn to manage stress in our day is to learn to manage our time better, set realistic goals, a concentrated focus on our spiritual practices, indulge in leisure activities, talking out issues with a trustworthy person, seeking the support of family and friends, regular physical exercise, practicing relaxation exercises, assertiveness training to learn to say no and/or be able to voice your thoughts, and if necessary, medication to help control some of the neurobiological elements of stress.

Much of what we consider to be stress and our responses to these stressors are learned behavior. By utilizing a cognitive behavioral approach to stress management, you can learn to control stress and not let it control you.