A guest post by by VISTA Health Solutions.

Too much stress may cause panic and confusion. It may also lead to health problems like cardiovascular disease and anxiety. Dealing with stress is certainly challenging but it has many rewards. Perhaps we’re too caught up with the negative side of stress that we fail to see its positive side. For one thing, that feeling of being pressured actually helps you make better decisions. Here’s how:

Limits your options
Having too many options can cause confusion. Stress removes nuances from a given situation and helps narrow your focus. This allows you to break a problem down to its bare essentials, making you see things almost in black and white. In addition, some people might regret their decision if they dwell on the other options they didn’t take, a potentially counter-productive behavior. The right amount of stress helps narrow down your options helping you make better decisions.

Makes you focus on the rewards
When you are under stress, the decisions you make are more likely to be fueled by the prospect of reward rather than just avoiding failure or punishment. When we focus on the positive side of things, we tend to make choices that help us improve our quality of life instead of just simply maintaining our status quo. Focusing on the rewards might just be the push you need, especially if you’re likely to imagine the negative outcome of your decisions.

Encourages you to take risks (at least for men)
Studies show that stress has different effects on men and women. Men tend to take risks while women are likely to be more conservative. Taking risks does have its down side especially if you are considering potentially harmful activities. But it can also lead to us to take productive risks. Going for broke helps you make decisions that yield high rewards. Going for broke can help you make life-changing decisions because self-preservation is no longer your main concern.

This article was contributed by VISTA Health Solutions. For more information visit www.nyhealthinsurer.com.

Now apply your learning to a decision you need to make using one of our weighted decision matrix templates.

Once you’ve read this guest post, why not use a weighted decision matrix template to decide if it’s time to end your relationship or even start dating someone again!

Deciding to break up is never an easy task. Yes, there is no easy way to break somebody’s heart. But, sometimes the decision to break up could end better for everyone involved. The act of deciding to end the relationship is not only psychologically painful but is one of the leading causes of anxiety. When you have given all that you’ve got and still it didn’t work, maybe it is better to break up and live separate lives. This article will list down the tell-tale signs that it is time to leave so you can better decide if indeed breaking-up is the best thing to do.

You’ve lost the magic
We are not talking about doing magic tricks here but the magic that used to make your life together truly exciting. If you notice that you seldom look forward seeing your partner that is a very dangerous sign. Missing someone is one of the hallmarks of being in love. The connection is what makes us long for the person we truly desire. When we think that the other person is no longer showing signs that he or she is missing you, then it is time to revisit the relationship’s goals.

You’ve lost that desire
Desire, is not only the name of a streetcar, but is also a crucial element in a relationship. When you first met you wanted to see each other every minute of the day, desiring that they stay with you throughout infinity. As years pass by, you suddenly lost that desire—the key motivator why you went into the relationship. Desire defines your commitment into the relationship, without it there is no point in keeping each other’s company because you may feel that things are better when both of you are no longer together.

You’ve lost that loving feeling
When you cease to care about the person, you are falling out of love. That marks the beginning of the end of the relationship as we know it. Love is the glue that binds couple and without it in the equation all things break loose. It may be caused by relationship fatigue and even pushed by the surfacing of various symptoms of anxiety—whichever the reason is when you fall out of love there is no way you can save the relationship anymore.

You’ve lost the reason to be happy
Remember how happy you were at the beginning of the relationship? That was the most meaningful part that kept you together. Notice that you have been blabbering all around how he or she made you happy before which unlike this time that you rarely feel that fire in the belly. When you are about to make a decision for the relationship, think of how happy you can be without him or her.

You’ve lost the respect
We have to admit that when the relationship stops working as it should, the respect for each other bogs down. This is due for the most part to self-defense. You wanted to rationalize that the other party is cheating on you or have been not exactly loyal to the relationship. Perhaps, you are thinking that your partner has been a player all along or has been playing with other men. The love begins to ebb and fault finding has been the dominant activity.

You’ve lost interest in spending time together
This would be common if you are not living under the same roof; but if you are no longer interested in spending time with each other then it is time to hit the road, Jack. If you live in the same house and would like to ignore your partner by sitting stone-faced in front of the television then it is time to look for a new apartment because the relationship has gone sour.

If you can, work to save the relationship as best as you can. There is nothing sublime than finding ways to rekindle the love that has been lost. If you agree on the situations presented then you may need to re-visit the situation and make that decision whether to end it or fight to stay on. Ultimately, how things will turn out depends on you.

About the Author:
Ryan Rivera spends most of his time writing articles about panic disorder, social anxiety, stress and depression. For more information about these topics, you may check out his Calm Clinic Facebook account.