Managing Stress

6 min

•Feb 4, 20262 months ago

Summary

Dr. Laura discusses how stress is largely voluntary and controllable through deliberate choices rather than circumstances. She distinguishes between ineffective 'hoping skills' and evidence-based coping strategies, particularly highlighting hobbies as a scientifically-proven method to reduce stress, improve mental health, and increase life satisfaction.

Insights

Most stress is self-imposed through voluntary choices rather than unavoidable circumstances; people often choose not to change stressful situations
Common stress management techniques like ignoring, denying, and wishful thinking provide only temporary relief and are ineffective long-term
Hobbies are a scientifically-validated coping mechanism that builds resilience, provides accomplishment, and improves mental health outcomes
Social isolation amplifies stress; hobbies that involve social connection provide additional mental health benefits
Reframing obligations and eliminating unnecessary commitments is critical to breaking cycles of chronic stress

Trends

Growing recognition of hobbies and leisure activities as legitimate mental health interventions, not self-indulgenceShift from passive stress management (hoping, denial) to active engagement-based coping strategiesIncreased research focus on lifestyle factors (hobbies, social connection) as preventive health measures for older adultsReframing of personal time and joy-scheduling as essential wellness practices rather than luxuriesConnection between social engagement through shared hobbies and reduced depression and anxiety symptoms

Topics

Stress management and coping strategiesVoluntary vs. involuntary stressHoping skills vs. coping skillsHobbies as mental health interventionResilience building through accomplishmentSocial connection and isolationDepression and anxiety reductionLife satisfaction and longevityObligation management and boundary-settingCreativity and mental healthAging and wellnessMindfulness and reframingSelf-care and joy scheduling

People

Dr. Laura

Host of the podcast discussing stress management and coping strategies with listeners

Quotes

"For the most part, being in a stressful situation is voluntary. You can come up with all kinds of excuses why you can't change the situation, but there are excuses, and yes you can, but you choose not to."

Dr. Laura

"Hoping skills suck. I hope when I marry this person, they will turn nice. Right now it's causing me great stress. I hope my mother, I hope my father... yeah, useless, okay?"

Dr. Laura

"One of the best coping skills is hobbies. They foster resilience by giving you a sense of accomplishment."

Dr. Laura

"A 2023 Nature Medicine study found 93,000 older adults across 16 countries found that folks who had hobbies reported better health, greater life satisfaction, and fewer symptoms of depression."

Dr. Laura

"A lot of you are trapped in a prison of unnecessary obligations. Schedule joy, stay curious, connect with others. Reframe your obligations."

Dr. Laura

Full Transcript

Thank you for listening to my morning monologue. Brought to you by Golden Crest Metals, helping everyday investors protect what they've worked so hard to build by adding gold and silver to retirement portfolios. Learn more at goldencrestmetals.com. Remember, you can hear my radio program daily on Sirius XM Triumph and connect with me 24-7 at drora.com. Stress, very unavoidable part of life. But how the decisions we make with respect to what stresses us, that makes the quality of our life and our health and all our longevity more in our control. Almost 80% of you say stress negatively impacts everything in your life. But I've got to tell you, for the most part, listen carefully. For the most part, being in a stressful situation is voluntary. You can come up with all kinds of excuses why you can't change the situation, but there are excuses, and yes you can, but you choose not to. Therefore, you will continue to be stressed. Coping strategies are very important, but most of you have hoping skills. These are mental games you play with yourself that you're actually managing stress. Like squashing unwanted thoughts, wishing they would just disappear. Clinging to useless strategies, hoping they will magically work. So ignoring, denying may work for 20 minutes, but not for the long haul. Believe it or not, one of the best coping skills, because hoping skills suck. I hope when I marry this person, they will turn nice. Right now it's causing me great stress. I hope my mother, I hope my father, I hope my ka- yeah, useless, okay? Turns out from a lot of studies that one of the best coping skills is hobbies. What? Hobbies? Coping skill for stress? What? Yeah. They foster resilience by giving you a sense of accomplishment. So you take on a hobby, you start learning it, you start getting good at it, and it makes you feel better. Gives you a sense of accomplishment. Helps your mental health, creativity, and social connections if this is a hobby that requires interacting with other people. Mental health keeps you from being isolated, unless you're in the basement being Dr. Frankenstein just trying to take a cadaver part and put it to life. Okay? A 2023 Nature Medicine study found 93,000 older adults across 16 countries found that folks who had hobbies reported better health, greater life satisfaction, and fewer symptoms of depression compared to folks without hobbies. Hobbies? Great coping skill for stress. Reduces anxiety and stress, improves overall well-being. You can garden, you can paint, you can dance. All of this. All of this. These are all coping mechanisms. And a lot of you think of it as a waste of time or self-indulgent or selfish. Hoping is useless. It's postponed disappointment. So if you're feeling stress, start thinking hobby. Schedule joy, stay curious, connect with others. Reframe your obligations. A lot of you are trapped in a prison of unnecessary obligations. That comes up on the program pretty often, and I'm sure we'll talk about it again. Line number 1-800-375-2872. Check out my social media on Facebook and Instagram. I post stories, photos, and videos seven days a week and feature some of what you've sent me to. There's always something interesting going on there. Find me at facebook.com.slashdrlora and instagram.com.slashdrloraprogram.