Rethinking Stress: From Anxiety to Advantage

The Surprising Benefits of Stress

Despite its negative connotations, not all stress is bad. In fact, healthy stress, also known as eustress, is essential to survival and comes with benefits such as:

• Increased motivation
• Short-term immunity boosts
• Improved performance

According to licensed clinical psychologist Catherine Jackson, PhD, recognizing the difference between positive and negative stress can help us harness its power.

From Distress to Eustress

Negative stress, or distress, can harm brain function and lead to anxiety, depression, or panic disorder. On the other hand, eustress can:

• Enhance brain power
• Improve memory
• Foster better learning

Dr. Jackson suggests reframing the word “stress” to “pressure” to change how we approach challenging situations.

Getting to Know Your Stress Responses

To better understand stress, Dr. Jackson recommends exploring our personal stress responses to identify:

• What triggers us
• How we react

By recognizing the sources of stress in our lives, we can develop strategies to turn negative stress into positive stress or pressure. This might involve:

• Breaking down tasks into manageable chunks
• Practicing until we feel more confident
• Reframing our mindset

Reframing Stress, Reframing Life

Recognizing positive and negative stresses in different areas of life can lead to a new sense of control and empowerment. By shifting our perspective, we can:

• Transform our relationship with stress
• Improve our overall well-being

Taking the First Step

Reframing stress is just the beginning. By acknowledging the benefits of eustress and learning to distinguish between positive and negative stress, we can start to:

• Harness its power to improve our lives
• Take control of our stress responses

It’s not about eliminating stress entirely, but about using it to our advantage.