Miss Stress Management: Cinderella

It was a star studded night and all the celestials were present to witness the coronation of Miss Stress Management, Cinderella. The competition was a tough one with competitors like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Barbie and Juliette. Their beauty was unbounded but beauty was not all that mattered that evening. All that glitterati must mean something and for all those who are still wondering, what’s it all about? Well read ahead the long story short.

Stress management is the management of body’s and mind’s process for dealing with uncertain change and danger. So this year Miss Stress Management program was initiated so that those damsels in distress could be honored who have managed their Stress efficiently and changed their fortunes. It was a tough call to choose the nominations. But eventually the above mentioned damsels were chosen. They all had great stories to tell but Cinderella was the shining star.

Let us take a look at Cinderella before the pageant. She was just an ordinary girl who was mentally abused by her two evil step sisters. Her father’s huge Victorian house was completely cleaned and maintained by Cinderella herself. Even through her busy schedule and the stress she updated herself with the latest happenings in her town, that is, The Royal Ball. With all the stress of cleaning and cooking, she still made dazzling dresses for her evil sisters, who, for a change, were looking royalty that evening. The reporters interviewed Cinderella’s evil step mother for more information on her daily schedule. She said, “Cinderella was a darling! She never gave me the reason to complain, I never knew if she ever had any stress. It was because I worked on Theory X to motivate her that she reached this height today.” Tears of joy were glistening in her eyes.

All that motivation of Cinderella’s evil step mother paid off when Fairy God Mother gave her the performance appraisal. One could witness the optimum utilization of the resources by Fairy God Mother when she turned the pumpkin into a carriage, the rats into horses and the lizards into footmen. Her hard work was rewarded by the attention of the dashing and handsome Prince Charming. That night was very stressful Cinderella so Fairy God Mother chalked her Time Management chart. Fairy God Mother was interviewed after the pageant, she said, “Cinderella had just had her performance appraisal and she was also the most efficient member of my team. I couldn’t cut her a slack because of some Prince Charming.” To meet the dead line Cinderella had run away from the Ball but in her haste she had dropped off her shoe.

Cinderella managed to get home on time and also did all the house chores. She utilized Stress management techniques to balance with her hectic house chores schedules and her now frequent day dreams. Fairy God Mother being a fair manager knew all about her efficiency and loyalty towards her job and so in order to reward her she came up with Cinderella’s succession planning. After a long wait, Prince Charming, one day came to her door and wanted the evil step sisters to try the one shoe left at The Ball. Prince Charming wanted to do an elaborate search thus he even called Cinderella, even though she was dressed like the house maid. The story ahead has become immortal and need not be narrated.

Cinderella in her show stopping evening gown was asked about the reason to her success, she said, tears poring down her eyes, “I owe it all my Stress management classes that I took to over come the depression of Dad getting remarried and all. If you have an evil step mother and two evil step sisters you are bound to have some or the other kind of stress.” We asked her about how she managed it all? She said, “Well, it’s very simple you see. I do a lot of self reflection. It helps to think clearly. During the times when stress was unbearable I used to call on Fairy God Mother and talked to her. That helped me a lot. Breathing techniques are the best stress busters. My day dreams were a part of my stress management programs they helped me to visualize the best places in the world with my Prince.  But one thing I never let go off is my personal Time. No matter how busy I am I always give myself and my family personal time. I am sure it can be the key to any one’s success, for me it was.”

So my dear readers that was Miss Stress Management Cinderella. I am sure you must have got the hint. Stress management is not just a pageant but also a key to success. Just like the immortal fairy tale of Cinderella!