Managing stress one small step at a time Published Feb. 5, 2014 By Staff Sgt. Michael Buchanan 71st Medical Operations Squadron Mental Health VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Why is change stressful? The world is in a constant state of change. You'd think people would have figured out how to manage stress by now. Yet an unprecedented life event can still upset your daily ability to function. When you encounter something new your mind has to process the information and develop a new game plan to manage it. It can be uncomfortable and unnerving. For the most part humans are creatures of habit. People that deal with change the best are those who are out there trying and learning new things every day. Just like you can exercise your muscles to become stronger you can exercise your mind and maintain your mental fitness. A huge part of reducing change-related stress is preparation. First you must acknowledge that change happens and it is going to affect you. There is no escaping this truth. An open-minded approach facilitates creative, imaginative thinking that can strengthen mental capacity. As you strengthen your mind you better equip yourself to manage unpredicted life events. A compass has 360 degrees on it. If you change your heading by just one degree and travel a mile you will be 92 feet from where you would have been. You don't have to make big changes to have a big improvement in your mental fitness. A small change can better equip you to handle life's spontaneous changes. You can do little things like trying to write with the opposite hand, or learning a new word every day. Start small and go bigger over time. Existence is governed by the law of attrition. Everything is in a constant state of decay unless externally acted upon. This means if you are not working to maintain or to gain you are actually losing ground. Change can be stressful, unrelenting and unfair at times. Hiding from change or pretending it isn't happening are not viable options. We have to take time and prepare ourselves by consistently shaking up our daily routines with little exercises that will make us more resilient. Here are some things you can try to help exercise your mind and challenge your perception. Do daily tasks with the opposite hand Imagine increased muscle strength. One study demonstrated that by seeing exercises in the mind, muscle strength increased by 35 percent. Learn new tasks and skills like dancing, Tai Chi or playing a musical instrument Break your routines Learn about new ideas and beliefs For more information or to make an appointment to learn about stress management, contact the Mental Health office, 213-7419.