Growing Through Tension

I’m in a meeting full of people intent on their own unspoken agendas, vying with each other to get their wants through. If I’m chairing that meeting, I can feel the tension it creates. How successfully I work with it is the measure of my ability to chair.

I’m on the line with a customer service rep, and have been for over 2 hours. It’s pretty likely there will be tension between us as I try to get what I called for. Again, working with the tension and not opposing it will most often support me best for getting as much satisfaction as I can from the call.

I often say to myself at the end of a busy day that I’d like every day to be calm and peaceful. But the truth is that in my life, encountering tension and dealing well with it is what I need to remain engaged and to grow.

While too much tension is unhealthy physically, emotionally and spiritually, some tension is a good thing.  

Quote of the week

Remember, the strength of a relationship often isn’t tested by the absence of problems but by how you handle them together.

• C. Monet

How stress drains your brain and what to do about it

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Maryanne Nicholls is a Registered Psychotherapist.  To find out more, gain access to her weekly newsletter, meditations and programmes, sign up at www.thejoyofliving.co .