Understanding the Self Module 10

ACTIVITY
Self-Stress Assessment
Name: ___________________________________________________________________
To handle life stress is to identify sources of life stress. Arizona State
Year and Course: ___________________
University adopted The Social Readjustment Scale" of T. H. Holmes and R. H. Rahe
to come up with the "College Student's Stressful Event Checklist." Use the Event
Checklist to assess your stress level as college student. Follow these instructions for
your guidance
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Get a copy of the "College Student's Stressful Event Checklist' from the Arizona
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: State University available through Research Gate. Use the link provided:
1. explain the effects of stress to one's health; (https://www.researchgate. net/file. PostFileLoader. html?
2. examine cultural dimension of stress and coping; and id=57361005f7b67ee8fb041dc2&assetKey=AS
3. design a self-care plan. %3A361336895754242%401463160837813)

2. Answer the questionnaire honestly. To put the checklist in our context, change the
CONTENT third item about "Divorce between parents, to "Separation between parents.

3. Write your score and its interpretation inside the box:

Less Stress, More Care

The American Psychological Association (2017) has these statements about
stress: "Stress is often described as a feeling of being overwhelmed, worried, or run-
down. Stress can affect people of all ages, genders, and circumstances and can lead to
both physical and psychological health issues. By definition, stress is any
uncomfortable 'emotional experience accompanied by predictable biochemical
physiological, and behavioral changes: Some stress can be beneficial at times,
producing a boost that provides the drive and energy to help people get through
situations like exams or work deadlines, However, an extreme amount of stress can
have health consequences and adversely affect the immune, cardiovascular,
neuroendocrine and central nervous systems.”

Since stress is inevitable to life, we have to learn how to handle and cope up
with it. More so, we have to be familiar with other approach to a healthy lifestyle,
which is self-care.
4. Circle all events you identified.
5. Pair with a classmate and share two to three life events you circled. Observe
confidentiality (Do not share with others) after sharing.
ANALYSIS
Answer the following questions:
1. How do you feel while you were doing the checklist?
2. Is the result near to your present perceived stress level? How do you feel with the
result?
3. How do these identified life events affect your life now?
4. What is your reflection after sharing your answers with a classmate?
5. What is your perception about stress and self-care?
ABSTRACTION
Stress and Human Response
The American Institute of Stress (AIS) has distinguished different types of
stress and the human response to it.
Hans Selye defined stress as the body's nonspecific response to any demand,
whether it is caused by or results in pleasant or unpleasant stimuli. It is essential to
differentiate between the unpleasant or harmful variety of stress termed distress,
which often connotes disease, and eustress, which often connotes euphoria. Eustress
is stress in daily life that has positive connotations, such as marriage, promotion,
baby, winning money, new friends, and graduation. On the other hand, distress is
stress in daily life that has negative connotations such as divorce, punishment, injury,
negative feelings, financial problems, and work difficulties (AIS 2017)
During both eustress and distress, the body undergoes virtually the same
nonspecific responses to the various positive or negative stimuli acting upon it.
However, eustress causes much less damage than distress. This demonstrates
conclusively that it is how an individual accepts stress that determines ultimately
whether the person can adapt successfully to change (AIS 2017).
Selye hypothesized a general adaptation or stress syndrome. This general
stress syndrome affects the whole body. Stress always manifests itself by a syndrome,
a sum of changes, and not by simply one change (AIS 2017).
The general stress syndrome has three components:
1. The alarm stage - represents a mobilization of the body's defensive forces.
The body is preparing for the "fight or flight syndrome. This involves a
number of hormones and chemicals excreted at high levels, as well as an
increase in heart rate, blood pressure, perspiration, and respiration rate, among
others.
2. The stage of resistance- the body becomes adaptive to the challenge and even
begins to resist it. The length of this stage of resistance is dependent upon the
body's innate and stored adaptation energy reserves and upon the intensity of
the stressor. Just as any machine wears out even if it has been properly
maintained, the same thing happens with living organisms-sooner or later they
become the victim of this constant wear and tear process. The acquired
adaptation is lost if the individual is subject to still greater exposure to the
stressor. The organism then enters into the third and final stage.
3. The exhaustion stage - the body dies because it has used up its resources of
adaptation energy. Thankfully, few people ever experience this last stage.
Stress diseases are maladies caused principally by errors in the body's general
adaptation process. They will not occur when all the body's regulatory processes are
properly checked and balanced. They will not develop when adaptation is facilitated
by improved perception and interpretation. The biggest problems with derailing the
general stress syndrome and causing disease is an absolute excess, deficiency, or
disequilibrium in the amount of adaptive hormones. For example, corticoids,
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), and growth hormones are produced during
stress. Unfortunately, if stress is induced chronically, Our defense response lowers its
resistance since fewer antibodies are produced and an inflammatory response
dwindles (AIS 2017)
In the article "Understanding Stress Response" of the Heath Harvard Journal
(2017), it further discussed chronic stress and human body response:
"Chronic stress is unpleasant, even when it is transient. A stressful situation-
whether something environmental, such as a looming work deadline, or
psychological, such as persistent worry about losing a job-can trigger a cascade of
stress hormones that produce well-orchestrated physiological changes. A stressful
incident can make the heart pound and breathing quicken. Muscles tense and beads of
sweat appear.”
This combination of reactions to stress is also known as the "fight-or-flight" response
because it evolved as a survival mechanism, enabling people and other mammals to
react quickly to life-threatening situations. The carefully orchestrated yet near-
instantaneous sequence of hormonal changes and physiological responses helps
someone to fight the threat off or flee to safety. Unfortunately, the body can also
overreact to stressors that are not life-threatening, such as traffic jams, work pressure,
and family difficulties. Over time, repeated activation of the stress response takes a
toll on the body. Research suggests that chronic stress contributes to high blood
pressure, promotes the formation of artery-clogging deposits, and causes brain
changes that may contribute to anxiety, depression, and addiction. More preliminary
research suggests that chronic stress may also contribute to obesity, both through
direct mechanisms (causing people to eat more) or indirectly (decreasing sleep and
exercise) (Health Harvard 2017).
The stress response begins in the brain. When someone confronts an
oncoming car or other danger, the eyes or ears (or both) send the information to the
amygdala, an area of the brain that contributes to emotional processing. The
amygdala interprets the images and sounds. When it perceives danger, it instantly
sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus (Health Harvard 2017).
When someone experiences a stressful event, the amygdala, an area of the
brain that contributes to emotional processing, sends a distress Signal to the
hypothalamus. This area of the brain functions like a command center,
communicating with the rest of the body through the nervous system so that the
person has the energy to fight or flee. (Health Harvard 2017).
The hypothalamus is a bit like a command center. This area of the brain
communicates with the rest of the body through the autonomic nervous system, which
controls involuntary body functions like breathing, blood pressure, heartbeat, and the
dilation or constriction of key blood vessels and small airways in the lungs called
bronchioles. The autonomic nervous system has two components, the sympathetic
nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous
system functions like a gas pedal in a car. It triggers the fight-or-flight response,
providing the body with a burst of energy so that it can respond to perceived dangers.
The parasympathetic nervous system acts like a brake. It promotes the "rest and
digest" response that calms the body down after the danger has passed (Health
Harvard 2017)
After the amygdala sends a distress signal, the hypothalamus activates the
sympathetic nervous system by sending signals through the autonomic nerves to the
adrenal glands. These glands respond by pumping the hormone epinephrine (also
known as adrenaline) into the bloodstream. As epinephrine circulates through the
body, it brings on a number of physiological changes. The heart beats faster than
normal, pushing blood to the muscles, heart, and other vital organs. Pulse rate and
blood pressure go up. The person undergoing these changes also starts to breathe
more rapidly. Small airways in the lungs open wide. This way, the lungs can take in
as much oxygen as possible with each breath. Extra oxygen is sent to the brain,
increasing alertness. Sight, hearing, and other senses become sharper. Meanwhile,
epinephrine triggers the release of blood sugar (glucose) and fats from temporary
storage sites in the body. These nutrients flood into the bloodstream, supplying
energy to all parts of the body (Health Harvard 2017).
All of these changes happen so quickly that people are not aware of them. In
fact, the wiring is so efficient that the amygdala and hypothalamus start this cascade
even before the brain's visual centers have had a chance to fully process what is
happening. That is why people are able to jump out of the path of an incoming car
even before they think about what they are doing. As the initial surge of epinephrine
subsides, the hypothalamus activates the second component of the stress response
system known as the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. This network
consists of the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands. The HPA
axis relies on a series of hormonal signals to keep the sympathetic nervous system-
the "gas pedal-pressed down. If the brain continues to perceive something as
dangerous, the hypothalamus releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which
travels to the pituitary gland, triggering the release of ACTH. This hormone travels to
the adrenal glands, prompting them to release cortisol. The body thus stays revved up
and on high alert. When the threat passes, cortisol levels fall. The parasympathetic
nervous system-the "brake" then dampens the stress response (Health Harvard 2017).
Persistent epinephrine surges can damage blood vessels and arteries,
increasing blood pressure and raising risk of heart attacks or strokes. Elevated cortisol
levels create physiological changes that help to replenish the body's energy stores that
are depleted during the stress response. But they inadvertently contribute to the
buildup of fat tissue and to weight gain, For example, cortisol increases appetite, so
that people will want to eat more to obtain extra energy. It also increases storage of
unused nutrients as fat. Chronic low-level stress keeps the HPA axis activated, much
like a motor that is idling too high for too long. After a while, this has an effect on the
body that contributes to the health problems associated with chronic stress (Health
Harvard 2017).
Techniques to Counter Chronic Stress
Several techniques to counter chronic stress were presented in the same article
(Health Harvard 2017):
1. Relaxation response. Dr. Herbert Benson, director emeritus of the Benson-
Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital,
has devoted much of his career to learning how people can counter the stress
response by using a combination of approaches that elicit the relaxation
response. These include deep abdominal breathing, focus on a soothing word
(such as peace or calm), visualization of tranquil scenes, repetitive prayer,
yoga, and tai chi.
Most of the research using objective measures to evaluate how
effective the relaxation response is at countering chronic stress have been
conducted in people with hypertension and other forms of heart disease. Those
results suggest the technique may be worth trying, although for most people it
is not a cure at all. For example, researchers at the Massachusetts General
Hospital conducted a double-blind, randomized controlled trial of 122 patients
with hypertension, ages 55 and older, in which half were assigned to
relaxation response training and the other half to a control group that received
information about blood pressure control. After eight weeks, 34 of the people
who practiced the relaxation response-a little more than half-had achieved a
systolic blood pressure reduction of more than 5 mm Hg. and were therefore
eligible for the next phase of the study, in which they could reduce levels of
blood pressure medication they were taking. During that second phase, 50%
were able to eliminate at least one blood pressure medication-significantly
more than in the control group, where only 19% eliminated their medication.
2. Physical activity. People can use exercise to stifle the buildup of stress in
several ways. Exercise, such as taking a brisk walk shortly after feeling
stressed, not only deepens breathing but also helps relieve muscle tension.
Movement therapies such as yoga, tai chi, and qi gong combined with fluid
movements, with deep breathing, and mental focus, all of which can induce
calm.
3. Social support. Confidants, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, relatives,
spouses, and companions all provide a life-enhancing social net, and may
increase longevity. It is not clear why, but the buffering theory holds that
people who enjoy close relationships with family and friends receive
emotional support that indirectly helps to sustain them at times of chronic
stress and crisis.
The Cultural Dimension of Stress and Coping
Ben Kuo (2010) reviews studies on cultural dimensions of stress and coping.
His study, "Culture's Consequences on Coping: Theories, Evidences, and
Dimensionalities,” published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology had the
following findings:
Stress and coping research constitutes one of the most intensively studied
areas within health, social, and psychological research because of its broad
implications for understanding human well-being and adaptation. Early thesis on
stress and coping, the interwoven relationship of culture and stress responses was
implicated, conceptually. The thesis postulated that a person's internalized cultural
values, beliefs, and norms affect the appraisal process of stressors and the perceived
appropriateness of coping responses. Accordingly, these cultural factors delimit the
coping options available to an individual in the face of stress. As follows, stress and
coping are universal experiences faced by individuals regardless of culture, ethnicity,
and race, but members of different cultures might consider and respond to stressors
differently with respect to coping goals, strategies, and outcomes.
Kuo's study identified and revealed compelling evidence for cultural
variations and specificities on coping based on theoretical and empirical findings
generated over the last two decades cultural coping research. Based on the broad
problem-versus-emotion-focused coping nomenclature, repeated studies have pointed
to the prevalence of emotion-focused, "indirect", "passive, or "covert, "internally
target, or "secondary control coping among individuals of Asian backgrounds, as well
as, to a lesser extent, among individuals of African and Latino backgrounds.
Specifically, the avoidance, withdrawal, and forbearance coping methods are
common among Asians, while spiritual, religious, and ritual-based coping are
common among African-Americans and African-Canadians. Additionally, spiritual
and religious coping and coping through family support are common among
individuals of Latino/Latina backgrounds (Kuo 2010)
Furthermore, emotion-focused coping has been shown to be beneficial (eg
reducing distress) for Asian-Americans and Asian-Canadians in dealing with various
stressors, including family conflicts and racial discrimination. Problem-focused
coping has also been found to be effective for Asian-Americans and Asian-Canadians
in responding to male gender conflicts, racial discrimination, and cross-cultural
adjustment. For non-Asians, emotion-focused coping was shown to be negative in
increasing stress for African-American adult caregivers but problem-focused coping
was shown to be negative in exacerbating stress for Hispanic-American college
students in facing family conflicts. As evident, the existing knowledge on the
adaptive quality of different coping strategies is currently incomplete and
inconclusive and necessitates further research (Kuo 2010).
The current review also highlighted the salience of "collective coping
approaches among culturally diverse individuals, including Asians, African-
Americans, and Latino-Americans, based on more recent research. This distinctive
domain of coping represents the collective and interdependent characteristics of many
ethnic minorities which is a critical aspect of coping, overlooked by both the extant
coping and the cultural coping literature until recently, As has already been
demonstrated in a number of recent published studies, to fully represent and account
for the coping system of ethnic minority individuals, an integrated approach
incorporating conventional and culture-based collective coping measures is
imperative (Kuo 2010)
Finally, this review also points to coping's link to: (a) broad societal climate,
such as collectivism-individualism and independent-interdependent cultural norms;
(b) individuals' acculturation and ethnic identity: (c) primary/internally versus
secondary/externally controlled orientations; (d) accessibility and attitudes toward
seeking social and family support; and (e) degrees of religious/spiritual beliefs and
identifications. Together, these findings further underscore the significance of person-
cultural environment interaction in the coping process and provide corroborating
evidence in support of the contextual and transactional theories or coping (Kuo 2010)
However, the said syntheses need to be interpreted with caution in view of
several limitations. First, it should be noted that the way in which types of coping
were defined, categorized, and measured varied quite significantly from study to
study and would likely have skewed the findings and the conclusions drawn and
reduced the comparability across studies.
Second, the relationship between coping methods and coping outcomes is not
straightforward but is moderated by a constellation of contextual and personal factors
as Suggested by the theoretical models reviewed earlier. Empirical data, in fact, have
evidenced the effects of a person's perceived "intensity” and "controllability" of the
stressor and cultural orientations (e.g. acculturation, self-construals) on coping.
Lastly, it should be recognized that an individual's actual coping system often
comprises a complex and diverse range of coping behaviors. For instance, Chinese-
Canadian adolescents were found to engage in collectivistically based coping, in
conjunction with individualistically based coping when dealing with interpersonal
conflict, adjustment stress, and gender role-related stress. Those qualitatively and
functionally opposite coping strategies should not automatically be construed as
mutually exclusive within culturally diverse individuals (Kuo 2010).
Self-care Therapy
A positive way to counter stress is self-care therapy. Nancy Apperson (2008)
of Northern Illinois University has provided steps for self-care:
1. Stop, breathe, and tell yourself: "This is hard and I will get through this one
step at a time.” During an unexpected event or crisis, we are faced with
dealing with a new reality and it takes time to incorporate what happened into
our everyday lives. Identify the steps you need to take first, write them down,
and focus on each step one at a time. If you look at everything you have to do,
you will become overwhelmed. Remember you can only do one thing at a
time and focus exclusively on that one thing.
2. Acknowledge to yourself what you are feeling. All feelings are normal so
accept whatever you are feeling. Once you recognize, name, and accept your
feelings you feel less Out of control. You can then find a comfortable place to
express your feelings. During periods of extreme stress and grief, it is very
hard to hold back your feelings, particularly your tears and anger. This is
normal so describe this as grieving or sadness or anger. You are not falling
apart. You are grieving or feeling angry or sad. It is important during this time
of intense feelings to own your feelings and NOT hurt yourself or lash out at
someone else.
3. Find someone who listens and is accepting. You do not need advice. You need
to be heard. Sharing our story is how we begin to accept whatever happened
and integrate it into our new reality. It may be that you just need to let go of
 your expectations of how things should be and talking about your feelings and
beliefs is the beginning of that process.
4. Maintain your normal routine as much as possible. Making everyday
decisions-deciding to get dressed, doing the dishes, or going to work-gives
you a sense of control and feels comforting as it is a familiar activity. Be
realistic' with what you can do and remember everything right now will take
you longer to do. Avoid making major decisions based on the stress you feel
right now.
5. Allow plenty of time for a task. You will not be as productive as you normally
are. Accept how much you are able to do right now and recognize it will not
be this way forever. During periods of extreme stress, prolonged stress, or
after a crisis, your ability to concentrate and focus on tasks is diminished and
it will take time for your concentration to return so give yourself extra time
and be gentle and accepting of yourself and what you can do.
6. Take good care of yourself. Remember to:
a. Get enough rest and sleep. Sleep at least six hours and not more than
nine hours. If you are having difficulty sleeping, listen to peaceful or slow
music and/or do progressive relaxation before you go to sleep. Sleep helps our
body heals and strengthens our immune system.
b. Eat regularly and make healthy choices. Skipping mea particularly
breakfast, contributes to fatigue, mood swings, and poor concentration.
Healthy food choices (not high in simple Sugars) maintain blood sugar level,
energy, and concentration of the body
c. Know your limits and when you need to let go. Some problems are
beyond our control. If something cannot be changed, work at accepting it for
what it is. Resist the urge to fix the unfixable
or try to control the uncontrollable. Sometimes a mantra helps: "It is what it is,
I just need to accept it." For things within your control, remember that change
takes time. If you are holding on and need to let go, journal about it.
d. Identify or create a nurturing place in your home. A rocking chair, a
nice view, and a soothing music are important components to a nurturing
place. Twenty minutes of spending in a rocking chair reduces both your
physical pain and anxiety. It is like giving yourself a hug. Music and nature
sounds nurture our being and lifts our spirits.
e. Practice relaxation or meditation. Go to your nurturing place and
listen to guided relaxation tapes. Time spent in meditation or prayer allows
your mind and body to slow down and let go of the stress. Take a mental
vacation in the midst of stress by relaxing your body, shutting your eyes, and
visualizing yourself in your favorite vacation spot or quiet haven.
f. Escape for a while through meditation, reading a book, watching a
movie, or taking a short trip.
Self-compassion Therapy
Self-compassion is another way to counter stress. Kristin Neff (2012) has
discussed self-compassion in her article, "The Science of Self-Compassion."
"Self-compassion entails being warm and understanding toward ourselves
when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate, rather than flagellating ourselves with self-
criticism. It recognizes that being imperfect and experiencing life difficulties is
inevitable, so we soothe and nurture ourselves when confronting our pain rather than
getting angry when life falls short of our ideals. We clearly acknowledge our
problems and shortcomings without judgment, so we can do what is necessary to help
ourselves. We cannot always get what want. We cannot always be who we want to
be. When this reality is denied or resisted, suffering arises in the form of stress,
frustration, and self-criticism. When this reality is accepted with benevolence,
however, we generate positive emotions of kindness and care that help us cope. Self-
compassion recognizes that life challenges and personal failures are part of being
human, an experience we all share. In this way, it helps us to feel less desolate and
isolated when we are in pain."
Self-compassion Phrases
Neff provided self-compassion phrases when feeling stress or emotional pain,
perhaps when you are caught in a traffic jam, arguing with a loved one, or feeling
inadequate in some way. It is helpful to have a set of phrases memorized to help you
remember to be more compassionate to yourself in the moment. You can take a deep
breath, put your hand over your heart, or gently hug yourself (if you feel comfortable
doing so), and repeat the following phrases:
 This is a moment of suffering.
  Suffering is a part of life.
 May I be kind to myself.
 May I give myself the compassion I need.
These phrases capture the essence of the three components of self-
compassion. The first phrase helps to mindfully open to the sting of emotional pain.
(You can also just simply say “This is really hard right now" or "This hurts.") The
second phrase reminds us that suffering unites all living beings and reduces the
tendency to feel ashamed and isolated when things go wrong in our lives. The third
phrase begins the process of responding with self-kindness rather than self-criticism.
The final phrase reinforces the idea that you both need and deserve compassion in
difficult moments. Be experimental with the phrases. Other phrases that may feel
more authentic in a given situation are: "May I accept myself as I am, May I forgive
myself," or "May I learn to accept what I cannot change." (Neff 2012)
Self-compassion and Emotional Well-being
One of the most consistent findings in the research literature is that greater
self-compassion is linked to less anxiety and depression. Of course, a key feature of
self-compassion is the lack of self-criticism, and self-criticism is known to be an
important predictor of anxiety and depression. However, self-compassion still offers
protection against anxiety and depression when controlling for self-Criticism and
negative effect. Thus, self-compassion is not merely a matter of looking on the bright
side of things or avoiding negative feelings. Self-compassionate people recognize
when they are suffering, but are kind toward themselves in these moments,
acknowledging their connectedness with the rest of humanity. Self-compassion is
associated with greater wisdom and emotional intelligence, suggesting that self-
compassion represents a wise way of dealing with difficult emotions. For instance,
self-compassionate people engage in rumination and think suppression less often than
those low in self-compassion. They also report greater emotional coping skills,
including more clarity about their feelings and greater ability to repair negative
emotional states. Self-compassion appears to bolster positive states of being as well.
By wrapping one's pain in the warm embrace of self-compassion, positive feelings are
generated that help balance the negative ones (Neff 2012).
Self-compassion, Motivation, and Health
Research supports the idea that self-compassion enhances motivation rather
than self-indulgence. For instance, while self-compassion is negatively related to
perfectionism, it has no association with the level of performance standards adapted
for the self. Self-compassionate people aim just as high, but also recognize and accept
that they cannot always reach their goals. Self-compassion is also linked to greater
personal initiative-the desire to reach one's full potential. Self-compassionate people
have been found to have less motivational anxiety and engage in fewer self-
handicapping behaviors such as procrastination than those who lack self-compassion.
In addition, self-compassion was positively associated with mastery goals (the
intrinsic motivation to learn and grow) and negatively associated with performance
goals (the desire to enhance one's self-image) found on the study of Deck in 1986.
This relationship was mediated by the lesser fear of failure and perceived self-
efficacy of self-compassionate individuals. Thus, self- compassionate people are
motivated to achieve, but for intrinsic reasons, not because they want to garner social
approval. (Neff 2012).
Self-compassion versus Self-esteem
Research indicates that self-compassion is moderately associated with trait
levels of self-esteem as one would expect, given that both represent positive attitudes
toward the self. However, self-compassion still predicts greater happiness and
optimism as well as less depression and anxiety when controlling for self-esteem.
Moreover, the two constructs differ in terms of their impact on well-being. Also, self-
esteem had a robust association with narcissism while self-compassion had no
association with narcissism. In contrast to those with high self-esteem, self-
compassionate people are less focused on evaluating themselves, feeling superior to
others, worrying about whether or not others are evaluating them, defending their
viewpoints, or angrily reacting against those who disagree with them. Self-esteem is
thought to be an evaluation of superiority/inferiority that helps to establish social rank
stability and is related to alerting, energizing impulses and dopamine activation.
While self-esteem positions the self in competition with others and amplifies feelings
of distinctness and separation, self-compassion enhances feelings of safety and
interconnectedness (Neff 2012).
Self-compassionate Letter
An example of a self-compassion exercise is the self-compassionate letter.
This exercise has been used in therapeutic programs. Below are the steps in doing the
self-compassionate letter exercise as provided by Neff (2012):
1. Candidly describe a problem that tends to make you feel bad about yourself,
such as a physical flaw, a relationship problem, or failure at work or school.
Note what emotions come up -shame, anger, sadness, fear-as you write.
 2. Next, think of an imaginary friend who is unconditionally accepting and
compassionate, someone who knows all your strengths and weaknesses,
understands your life history, your current circumstances, and understands the
limits of human nature.
3. Finally, write a letter to yourself from that perspective. What would your
friend say about your perceived problem? What words would he or she use to
APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT
convey deep compassion? How would your friend remind you that you are
only human? If your friend were to make any suggestions, how would they
reflect unconditional understanding? 1. Explain the effects of stress to one's health.
4. When you are done writing, put the letter down for a while and come back to
it later. Then read the letter again, letting the words sink in, allowing yourself
to be soothed and comforted.

Less Stress, Care More

We should be in control of the stress that confronts us every day. Otherwise,
when we are overwhelmed by stress, it can be detrimental to our health. Self-care and
self-compassion are two ways to positively confront stress. We should love and care
2. Self-Care Plan. Design for your self-care plan for the whole school year.
for our self, more and more each day.

3. Reflection Paper. Make a self-compassionate letter and make a reflection paper

about it.

REFERENCE
Alata, E.J.P., Bernardo, N.C., Jr., Serafica, J.P.J., Pawilen, R.A. (2018).
Understanding the Self, Rex Book Store, 856 Nicanor Reyes, Sr. St.