My highest PCI scores are Emotional Support Seeking and Strategic
Planning. This is not a surprise to me; when I plan an event or
anything that could be stressful, I typically have a couple of lists
started. I also seek advice or opinions from peers when planning
things. Over the last year, I planned my wedding; I had a notebook of
lists and plans written down and backups in case something did not
work. The one issue I run into with my Strategic Planning strategy is
that I can get highly stressed if things don't go as planned. The good
part is when this happens; I can fall back on my Emotional Support
Seeking; that is when I turn to my loved ones or friends and ask for
help. I don't often need physical help in stressful situations. Usually, a
kind word or a hug is enough to keep me on track.
Knowing my strongest coping strategies allows me to know the best
possible solution when dealing with stress or to anticipate a stressful
event. I know that when I am stressed, the best solution for me will
likely be to seek help from a loved one. I also am aware of my weakest
coping strategy, avoidance. I know from personal experience that if I
try to avoid stress, I end up prolonging my stress instead of solving
my problem and alleviating the stress. Some people are great at
stepping back, taking a breath, and taking a break from a problem; I
am likely to spend my break thinking about how to fix the problem.
How you cope with stress fits well with the programmatic themes of
Emotional Intelligence, particularly self-regulation. It can be tough to
self-regulate emotions when you are stressed. Poor stress coping
strategies can lead to irritability and temporarily weaken emotional
intelligence skills. Coping with stress effectively is an important part
of self-care; dealing with stress constantly can be very draining on a
person.
