Seven Weeks to Conquering Your Stress

In the first edition of this book I mentioned that the shelves at popular booksellers are filled with books about stress and asked you why we needed another one. These books promote the latest gimmick or new formula to control or eliminate stress from your life. Not much has changed in the three years since I wrote the first edition of this book. If anything, there are even more books on the market today claiming the same thing. The main reason I wrote the first edition and am this updated version is to dispel the myth that you can control or eliminate 100% of your stress. Stress is here to stay. You’ll never learn how to manage your stress with gimmicks or simplistic approaches based on one formula or technique. Simplistic, gimmicky approaches to stress management are doomed to fail because stress is a complex, multi-faceted, personal phenomenon. To manage your stress effectively you need a multi-dimensional approach that is based on your values, goals, and personality. The multi-dimensional, personalized approach to stress management I present in this book is easy to understand and is based on my proven framework, the Five R’s of Coping Model. I first introduced the model in 1995 in my best-selling college textbook; Coping With Stress in a Changing World and since then thousands of students and clients around the world have it to conquer their stress. The five R’s of coping (Reorganize, Relax, Release, Rethink, and Reduce) work together to provide a synergistic effect in helping you conquer your stress. Each R represents a different level and approach to coping with stress. This is very important because not all stressors (things that are capable of causing you stress) can or should be managed the same way. Many stress-management books and programs fail because they provide a cookie-cutter approach to coping, assuming that all stressors can be managed the same way by everyone. Nothing could be further from the truth. People respond differently to stressors and approaches to coping. In this new edition I've integrated a powerful new Rethink tool, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is such a good fit with my Five R's Framework that I could not feel comfortable selling another copy of the original book without including it. ACT is based on the latest research concerning how your mind works when confronted with potential stressors. I've incorporated a few ACT techniques from my latest book, Stress Less, Live More: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to live a Busy but Productive Life (New Harbinger Press, 2010). To make room for this new ACT material I've eliminated some content, simplified my seven week program, and made the format easier to understand and apply. This new edition clearly illustrates how to use the information and exercises over a seven week period to learn how to manage your stress more effectively. I've cut a lot of the overly dry and technical information about the physical and psychological consequences of stress. I've also eliminated material (such as the section on massage) that you can't perform yourself. After seven weeks of work you’ll have a good idea of what stress is, how it manifests itself in your life, and what to do to conquer it. I know you can use the ideas in this book to conquer your stress. You’ve come this far and not only bought this book, you’ve read the introduction and are on your way to learning how to conquer your stress. As you work your way through the chapters and the exercises try to enjoy the process. Instead of thinking ahead and getting caught up in “finishing” the seven week program try savor each step along the way.Good luck and enjoy the journey!Dr. Richard Blonna September 2010