Viktor Frankl once said, “Man can preserve a vestige of spiritual freedom, of independence of mind, even in such terrible conditions of psychic and physical stress.” Dealing with stress is not the easiest thing to do, but to overcome it, one must first look at what causes stress, and then how to deal with it.

What is most times thought to be the main cause of stress is only a small percentage of the true things that cause stress. Outdoor leaders are faced with stress everyday, and it comes in many different forms. The job of a responsible leader is to recognize that stress, whether it be with himself, some one else, or the entire group, and assist in relieving it as soon as possible and in the best manner available. Physical danger appears to cause most stress in the outdoors, but it is truly the ordinary things that cause the most stress and are the toughest to handle. It is not the most obvious and dramatical situations that cause us stress but rather the everyday trivial proceedings that seem to bring about the most stress. There are many factors that cause stress. Everything from ignorant people to poor planning and disorganization can inflict stress on a person. It’s difficult to list or describe the exact situations that cause stress because of the fact that it’s different for each and every person. Each person has their own pet peeves and annoyances, so it’s not the specific things, but rather the ideas of what causes stress that are of more importance. Nonetheless, physical dangers such as weather and accidents do indeed cause stress but only a small amount of what we encounter in our daily lives. The mass is on the petty misunderstandings, and minor slipups accruing everyday. Stress can make or break a trip and if dealt with correctly can preserve the safety and enjoyment of the entire group.

Once it is know what causes stress it makes it much easier