The Stress Hole: The Instructor's Personal Experience

The Unexpected Fall: Trapped by Distraction

In order to understand the credibility of this course, it is necessary to know the story of a boy who was walking down the street completely distracted by his anxious thoughts.

From one moment to the next, this young man unexpectedly fell into a hole that was so deep that it was impossible for him to get out on his own, feeling trapped.

At the bottom of this hole, his level of distress increased drastically when he realized that he could not simply jump and hold on to get out.

At first, his own pride prevented him from immediately asking for help, as he believed that he himself could find a way out of this difficult situation.

However, after many failed attempts, tiredness began to overcome him, and desperation led him to timidly ask for help from anyone who might be passing by.

The Search for Help and the Arrival of a Friend

After some time asking help, one of his friends finally appeared and, seeing him in this situation, offered his assistance in a completely unexpected way.

To his complete surprise, and instead of looking for a rope or a ladder, his friend jumped directly with him into the deep, dark hole.

This action completely baffled the young man, who thought that now the two of them were hopelessly stuck at the bottom, making the desperate situation even worse.

He could not understand why his friend had made such an illogical decision, since what he had asked for was help to get out, not company in his confinement.

The Key Revelation: "I Know the Way Out"

Faced with his companion's confusion, the friend responded with surprising calm, explaining the real reason why he had decided to jump into the hole with him.

With complete confidence, he told him that he should not worry, because he himself had fallen into that exact hole the previous week and already knew the way perfectly well to get out.

The key to her help was not a rescue from the outside, but an accompaniment from within, guiding him through a process he had already overcome.

Her promise was simple but powerful: "Let me help you," a phrase that completely changed the young man's perspective, giving him new and renewed hope in his rescue.

The Analogy with Stress and the Mission of the Course

What this story seeks to explain is that I, as your instructor, have fallen into that same hole, a hole that in this course we will call stress.

I have been a person who for a long time has allowed myself to be carried away by stress, becoming choleric, irascible, and blind to life's opportunities.

I remained stuck in that hole for a long period, but over time I learned and recognized the strategies and techniques that finally allowed me to get out of it.

For that reason I am here, not as someone who never has suffered, but as someone who has been inside that same hole that you may find yourself in.

My purpose is to be like that friend who already knows the way out, supporting you in the process of recognizing the capabilities you have to overcome the destructive power of stress.

Although your situation may be different, stress can harm us all, and my mission is to offer you the tools that helped me get out of there.