Stressed? Make It Work For You

This may be the most important post you read during this crisis. Not because I’m so smart, but because the idea is so simple, so timely, and so powerful. The idea is this: stress can hurt you or help you, and you can decide which it is.

Most people think that stress is bad for you, and they’re right. But some people think stress is good for you—and they’re also right! Your mindset about stress makes all the difference.

It sounds like pop psychobabble, but it’s supported by plenty of recent research, as reported in an article entitled, Stress Can Be Your Friend, by Kari Leibowitz and Alia Crum, two Stanford researchers who explain the idea and provide three simple steps to make stress work for you rather than against you in today’s New York Times.

The key is to acknowledge, own and use your stress in three steps:

1. Acknowledge your stress—don’t try to ignore it, because that just makes it more likely that you’re going to think about it and of course stress out even more.
2. Own your stress—the positive thing about stress is that we feel it because we feel a threat to something that is important to us. Owning your stress reminds you and connects you to what you value.
3. Use your stress—stress can provide energy and focus your mind, both of which you should channel in a productive direction to achieve your goals and realize your values.

How can you start applying this idea right now?

1. Reading the original article online because they explain it better and more credibly than I do.
2. The article has a link to a free video course which further explains the science behind it and provides practical ways to turn the three steps into a habit. (I’ve included the link here in case you can’t access the article).
3. If you’re interested in learning more, I recommend an excellent book, The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It, by Kelly McGonigal (Or read my own Cliff’s Notes version)

Simple, powerful, and oh, so timely. It may not seem like it right now, but we will get through this crisis eventually. The questions is: will we emerge weaker or stronger? It’s our choice.