Coping tools or skills are the things you do to handle stress. Some of them are automatic, and getting into ruts is easy. It’s normal for things to change over time, and for coping tools to stop working so well. Examples include stress or comfort eating that used to work fine, but now feels less healthy or leads to weight gain. Plus, that sideways coping doesn’t handle the stress directly. Your stress is there later, and likely getting worse.
Take stock and update your coping toolbox for the best results. Note which tools are active (facing stress directly) or more passive (putting it off or avoiding it for now, yet soothing). Try new things, be more conscious with passive coping, and add daily destress experiments. The more the merrier with coping tools!
Need some reminders of coping tools?
See a list of good bad and ugly coping mechanisms (or “mechs” per a client😂) here.
Want to fly solo? Use this worksheet to examine your coping toolbox without feedback (PDF to print and write out) or this fillable word worksheet (to type and keep as a doc).
USE THE FORM BELOW TO GET FEEDBACK FROM US:
Would you like some feedback? Fill out the questions on this link. Then submit your questions and email address for relevant constructive suggestions.
You’ll receive your report within 5 business days.
If you haven’t heard back, make sure you’ve submitted your form (hit the “submit” button at the bottom of the form), and then contact us at soul biz savvy (one word) at gmail.
All the best,
Denise Barnes, LPC, Rev
Soul Savvy Therapist, and Intuitive Life Coach
P.S. If you’d like to learn more about the foundations of coping well, check out the free Four Steps to Destress series in the Resources section.
My most ineffective and passive coping? Playing card games, doh! I know stretching or taking a five-minute walk would work better, but a slippery slope leads my laptop fingers to that backgammon button…