Hey, all you SPs! Do you know HOW and WHEN stress is stealing your optimism and vitality? Negative stress can take even the most lighthearted and optimistic person out at the knees. And because stress is such a common element in our daily, action-packed lives, it can become difficult to recognize its negative effects. In fact, some of us are more sensitive to its effects than others. If you’re a unique expression of the SP inner design, or want to help others who are, let’s talk about effective SP stress management.
Last week, we talked about the active, spontaneous and optimistic world of the SP. And, we promised some help with the biggest threat to an SP’s happiness: NEGATIVE STRESS. But for that help to apply to you, you’ll first need the knowledge provided in the quick assessment below. Fill it out and come right back.
Write down the four-letter result you got from your assessment. If you have an “S” and a “P” among your letters, and you’ve read and confirmed the description provided, your core design is “SP.” Although yours is a unique expression of this design, you’ll need to take the same stress-busting steps to beat this energy-sucking, optimism-robbing enemy.
Stress Management Made Easy-Breezy
Your inner design is packed full of strengths, but all four SP types (ESTP, ESFP, ISTP & ISFP) use the strengths of optimism and action to tackle life’s toughest challenges. The SP design is built to identify and execute on real-world, real-time solutions that positively impact the world about them.
But what happens when the effects of stress take hold and render you ineffective?
DON’T SWEAT IT! You can follow these stress-busting steps, custom-made to lift the naturally lighthearted SP out of a troubled mindset.
Stress Busting for the Action-Oriented SP
STEP 1: KNOW YOUR SP INNER STRENGTHS.
Knowing how it feels and what it looks like when you’re using your strengths is essential. You have to know them well. Otherwise, you won’t be able to recognize when you are NOT using them. Get this handy table of SP strengths and learn all you can about using them as strengths in your action-oriented, optimistic life.
STEP 2: BE AWARE.
Raising your awareness of how you’re feeling, how you’re thinking and what you’re doing is the next step. You see, an optimistic SP is not really sensitive to stress because you aren’t used to letting stress take hold and affect you much. Learn to recognize these red flags that warn something is very wrong. Any of these feelings mean you’re over stressed and haven’t managed it correctly.
You feel:
- Pessimistic
- Worried
- Anxious
- Concerned
If you’re an SP, these feelings don’t even sound right do they? Time to act!
STEP 3: TAKE ACTION.
SPs must act. Without action, all of the present trouble an SP is facing will go even more wrong. And because you took the InnerKinetics assessment, you now know your specific SP type. Here’s more on the practical actions each of the SP types can take to bust up their stress and get on with impactful solutions.
- ESTP Type – Reach out. Engage and impact others. Your extroversion is key to lifting you out of the negative impacts of stress. What’s more, you have a “T” in your profile. This means you care more about facts than feelings. So, you can shift your focus to a positive interpretation of these facts about any circumstance to exit your stress. For example: On the job – focus on what your boss needs and wants from you. Stress can be managed when you’re doing something to find the speedy answer and act to solve a problem. In doing so, you can relieve the stress that’s draining you.
- ESFP Type – Like your fellow extroverted SPs (the ESTP type), you can get all the same benefits when you reach out to others for the purpose of positively affecting them. But because of your “F,” managing your emotions is the source of your stress. Because you can’t just direct emotions by sheer will, you must examine why emotions are causing you problems. Ask yourself “What feelings do I have that are hurting me or others?” Name them. Then ask, “Which strength can I use to address the damaging feelings”? Rather than focusing on your stress, focus on the damaging feeling that’s causing your stress and ACT to use a strength that will take away the damaging feeling.
- ISTP Type – Two letters in your SP type make the actions you take different than other SPs I’ve mentioned so far. Because you’re introverted, you may unknowingly hide your stress, putting on a facade of happiness even if you really don’t have it. It can look like you’re flipping a two-sided coin. One side says, “I’m 100% okay.” The other says, “I’m not really okay.” You’ll need to exit your introversion for a time and engage others positively. Don’t pay too much attention to your feelings, but rather, focus on the facts of the circumstances and identify the actions you need to take. Action will tackle the stress and eat away at the negative feelings that have built up.
- ISFP Type – As an ISFP, you may have the most difficultly of all SP types in allowing your thoughts and feelings to be seen by others. Your natural introversion and sensitivity to emotions can increase your stress even more. When everything is great, it’s wonderful. But when feelings or circumstances are negative, it’s way harder to act. But act quickly anyway! Feelings demand attention and doing something constructive about them is the only way forward. Identify a strength you aren’t using to address your stress and use it. If you take too long to act, you may find yourself more inclined to give up and sink into the negative feelings.
For a far more complete understanding of the causes of stress and what to do about it, grab your copy of “InnerKinetics of Type,” by Dr. Ray Lincoln.
Know and Be the Real You
Knowing who we are is important if we want to be the best we can be. We need details and understanding if we’re to see our target accurately. Your inner design must be verified by you before it can be said that you’re an SP, an SJ, an NT or an NF. Your copy of “Innerkinetics – Your Blueprint to Excellence and Happiness“ will offer you a full description of your core InnerKinetics design, as well as your four-letter type. It will also take you through the practical steps of developing the unique inner strengths you’re naturally hard-wired to master.
Join us next week as we paint a bullseye on a totally different target. It’s time to explore the concrete, detailed world of an “SJ.” If you’re an SJ, learn all you can. Take this free assessment and come back soon.