Everyone feels stress from time to time. It's a fact of daily life. Stress has its upside, but too much of it can leave you feeling out of control. And chronic stress can have negative consequences on your health.

Stress is a powerful force for good and for ill. It can help us cope with life's challenges, but it can also affect our health by making pre-existing conditions worse or even bringing on new ones.

To manage your stress, you must first learn to recognize when you are under stress. Every one reacts to stress differently; find out how you respond to stressful situations.

How will you respond to a stressor: accept it, avoid it, alter it, or adapt to it? The choice is yours. Choosing the best response for a situation will help you feel more in control.