Sometimes, it is hard to understand why some people seem to easily manage a great deal of stress and others seem to become overwhelmed by the smallest thing.  While some of this is linked to a person’s personality, the rest can be linked to how full their water glass is.

I like to use the analogy of our system as a water glass and our stress level as the water inside.  Some of us walk around with our glass filled to the rim most of the time, so when one more drop (stressor) is poured into our glass, our glass simply cannot physically hold it anymore and it overflows.  When our glass overflows it is often shown through an episode of anger or emotional breakdown.  Others walk around with their glass fairly empty, so when water (or stressors) are added, there is plenty of room to hold them.  These people are able to handle multiple stressors at once, without feeling emotionally overwhelmed.

Sometimes being able to view yourself or others as a water glass will give you a better understanding of what is happening within your system or theirs, when emotional overwhelm occurs.  Gaining this understanding helps us to be more tolerant and empathetic when those meltdowns occur, because we are able to make some sense around what is going on.  This typically allows for us to offer better support to ourselves or others.

So, the big question is…how do we empty our glass so that we can handle more stress without becoming so overwhelmed?  The key is to find a way to regulate your neurological system.  Some people may be able to do this on their own or others may turn to therapy for help.

Posted by Laura