Stress: When Stress Moves You To New Behaviors (That Aren’t You)

Stress can cause us to take actions we would never consider taking under usual non-stressful circumstances. Sometimes that new behavior turns out to be in our highest and best interest.

As with everything in life, there are no accidents. Everything happens exactly as it needs to so we can grow and change. Often those changes surprise us.

I wrote a series of articles describing my experiences of country living and how the stress of a mouse in the house impacted my life. I thought I had found peace with that issue until…

I found a dead mouse. I knew I had killed him with the poison I put out since I had not been able to get him to leave.

Turns out there were two dead mice. As I cleaned each room and each closet preparing for the pest control service’s arrival I discovered those little creatures are extremely destructive.

I was shocked to see they had penetrated every closet even making it to top shelves. They ate through fabric and plastic destroying some very important heirloom items.

Two little mice did that. And that was just the beginning.

They left droppings every place. Yucky loads of mess in my stuff. They ruined some items to the point I had to throw them away. I spent hours upon hours cleaning up and realize I have many more hours to go.

I never had that problem when I had a cat. I knew they were dirty and that bothered me. Surely I never imagined they could be so destructive.

The thing is I am someone who never kills anything. Scratch that. I used to be someone who never killed anything.

I have this mechanical flycatcher. Last year I caught more than one hundred flies and let them lose outside. Flies, spiders, moths – you name it. And when my cat caught mice he didn’t kill them. He gifted me with his catch and I put those outside too.

Hmm. So what did I accomplish? The insects and mice I freed bred producing more of them – to come into my space and do things that hurt me.

It took me a while to figure that one out.

I have this new attitude about creatures and about whether or not killing them is okay. Realize when I discovered the mouse had eaten the poison I was terribly upset I had put it out. When I saw the dead mouse (the pest control person found the other one) I freaked and felt guilty something awful.

No more. I warned every non-human creature in my house that they are not welcome and they can leave on their own .If I see them I will kill them.

Now that is new behavior for me. What I realize is that is healthy choice for me—both emotionally and physically.

Who’d a thought?