Step one in the 3D framework is to develop your self awareness. Now that your awareness muscle is ready to work and your internal flashlight is shining bright it’s time to look under the hood and discover hidden stressors.
Hidden stressors are the levers that control your high level stressors, these are the ones operating in the back ground of your life.
This is where real change can happen.
For example, let’s say your high level stressor is “work”, without knowing what about work is actually triggering you it’s difficult to make change happen. Sure you can find a new job, but I guarantee the same stressor will re-emerge with a different look.
What we often don’t realize is that stress is a perception of our mind, you’re in a secret relationship with that stressor and it must be acknowledged and addressed in order to shift.
Once you sharpen your awareness, you discover your own stress related sensations, i.e. when the stress response is being activated.
Let’s say you notice that you feel extra anxious on Tuesday mornings. In the discovery phase you’ll ask yourself “what happens on Tuesday mornings” In asking that question you realized you have a meeting with a colleague every Tuesday at 10am.
Okay, now ask yourself is there anything about that meeting that’s uncomfortable?
These questions begin to peel back the layers so you can get to the core of your stress. In this example let’s say you are annoyed with your colleague because he/she talks down to you.
You’ve found the root cause… Now you have something to work with. You can take action both internally and externally to shift your stress.
It’s time to go on to step three. Do something.