The Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory
May 10, 2024
Have you ever felt overwhelmed and wondered…”Am I losing it? Why can’t I keep up? Why do I feel this way? What’s wrong with me?”
I often talk to women who feel like they are going crazy, like something is wrong with them. But when we step back and look at all of the things going on in her life, it seems pretty reasonable that she’d feel overwhelmed.
I’ve been thinking about the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory lately. (Nerdy? Yes!) The reason it’s been on my mind is because I talk to people a lot about feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and/or anxious.
The first time I saw the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory, it was truly eye opening for me. So, I wonder if you’d feel the same.
The most surprising thing to me was the fact that many of the things on the list would be typically considered a positive event. Something you would want to have happen. For example: marriage, getting a promotion, a new home, making more money.
Any big change or transition in life can be stressful…sometimes VERY stressful.
The major benefits of using the Holmes-Rahe are:
#1: It’s Validating. You FEEL the effects of stress but you haven’t taken a moment to consider that you’re dealing with a lot. You have only judged yourself.
#2: It Gives a Rational Perspective: You can look at your stress score. It’s a number and you can see a rating which can tell you objectively if you’re at risk for health breakdowns as a result of the total life stressors.
#3: Planning purposes: If you know that you already have a lot on your plate. Looking at this stress inventory can help you decide…is now the best time to move to another state? While many of the events on the list are outside of our control, we can consider the ones that are when we think about how much we can expect to manage.
SO…how stressed are you? Click this link if you want to check out the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory. If you do, let me know your results!
If it’s high, there are a couple of things you can do.
~Ask yourself (genuinely) if there is anything you can remove from your plate.
~Check out last week’s newsletter for my top 3 favorite strategies for quickly calming stress/anxiety.
~Reach out to talk. You don’t have to do it alone. Schedule a Free Consultation.
You deserve the joy and peace you desire! I’m cheering you on!
Much Love,
Stacey