How Stress is Damaging to Your Relationships | Tony Robbins

When was the last time you felt stressed out by something? How did your body feel? What were you focusing on? When we let stress impact us, the effects are physical, emotional and mental. You have a hard time focusing. Your palms might sweat. Your stomach is in knots. And more often than not, you take out these pent-up feelings on the people you love most – your friends, significant other and family members.

The negative effects of stress on humans are widely documented. Stress can make us physically and mentally weak, but we don’t often discuss the effects of stress on a relationship. The people you love have tremendous empathy for you, and when you feel something, they feel it, too.

Here are four symptoms of stress and how they could be negatively impacting your relationships.

STRESS SYMPTOM #1 – NO VERBAL FILTER

One of the first things to go when you’re feeling stressed is your filter. You’re so hung up on the things you feel are going wrong, that you forget to be conscious of what you’re saying. During times of stress, you’re more apt to blurt out something you didn’t think through, which can cause immense complications in your relationships.

STRESS SYMPTOM #2 – MISTAKES

Whatever you’re working on, be it making dinner with your spouse or helping your child with a science project, you’re bound to make a mistake if you’re feeling overly stressed. Instead of getting swept up in negative emotions, center your focus on what you’re doing. Don’t worry about unrelated problems; instead, think about how you can complete the task while making the special people in your life feel supported.

STRESS SYMPTOM #3 – BAD FOOD DECISIONS

We turn to food when we need comfort, and this can negatively impact not just our own bodies, but our children’s as well. Say you feel stressed after a long day at the office. Instead of finding a way to prepare a nutritious dinner, you buy greasy fast food for you and your kids. Everyone has slip-ups with their diet sometimes, but when this behavior becomes your knee-jerk reaction to stress, you’re doing yourself and your family a disservice.

STRESS SYMPTOM #4 – SENSITIVITY

Have you ever picked a fight with your partner because they just seemed to say the wrong thing at the wrong time? Have you ever overreacted because you were tired, physically and mentally? Stress makes us more sensitive, which can lead to silly arguments with the people we love. When you find yourself getting worked up over something that wouldn’t normally bother you, take a moment to collect your thoughts. Is this something that’s really upsetting you, or are you succumbing to the negative effects of stress?
Visit Tony Robbins' websites:
Follow Tony Robbins @:
Facebook:
Twitter:
LinkedIn:
Google+:
Instagram:
Tony Robbins is a #1 New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. For more than 37 years, millions of people have enjoyed the warmth, humor and dynamic presentation of Mr. Robbins' corporate and personal development events. As the nation's #1 life and business strategist, he's called upon to consult and coach some of the world¹s finest athletes, entertainers, Fortune 500 CEOs, and even presidents of nations.