The Stress Bucket Analogy

When trying to measure our stress tolerance, the bucket analogy can be helpful. Our stress tolerance,

or the size of our bucket, is a product of our genes, personality,

and life experiences, and its size varies from person to person. The water in this analogy is the combination

of all the stress in your life. We use the coping strategies we have available to keep

our bucket from overflowing. They are like taps that allow water to drain from the

bucket. Stress can include training, work, school,

relationships, finances, moving, changing jobs, or the loss of a

loved one. Both positive and negative experiences will affect the water level.