You’ve seen plenty of articles online about stress—what it is, how to manage it, even how stress can be damaging to your health.
All of this information can be, well… stressful!
The fact is that stress is inevitable.
Yet, what if you could look at stress from a different perspective?
You’ve probably been told that stress is supposed to be bad for you. However, if you could shift your mindsets about stress and your response to stress as being normal or even positive, what would happen?
Yes, it wouldn’t change that you’d have stress in your life, to one degree or another. But by changing your perception about stress, you can certainly cope better with it.
Your Biological Response to Stress
First, let’s take a look at your biological response to stress.
For example, when you feel stressed the following can occur:
- Increased heart rate
- Faster breathing
- Rising blood pressure
- Muscle tension
You may think that these are bad things occurring to your body. However, when you feel stressed, that’s exactly what your body is supposed to do!
Humans have had to cope with stress for eons. Keep in mind, though, your ancestors had different sources of stress than you do today. Instead of navigating commuter traffic, they faced dangers from predators and the natural environment.
So, in moments where stress is inevitable, your body physically responds is meant to make you more capable to deal with the situation at hand.
Your Mental Response to Stress
Along with a physical response to stress, there is also a mental response.
When you are stressed, do you notice how your senses feel more heightened and alert? Do you feel more focused and present to the point that you can react to whatever is sent your way?
This clarity of focus is another way humans have learned to cope with stress. Again, it developed as a tool for humans to stay alive when they were in danger.
Changing Your Perception about Stress
With this information, you can begin to change your perception about stress. You can take this knowledge about how your body and mind respond in situations where stress is inevitable and see it as strengths, not weaknesses.
When you feel heart begin to beat faster or your muscles tense up, remind yourself that this is normal. This is what your body is supposed to do!
Your body is actually doing what it needs to do in order to adequately cope with whatever stressful situation is at hand. In fact, research backs up this theory.
For a study, scientists coached participants on how their bodies respond to stress. Later, in a stress-based scenario, the knowledgeable participant group did better than the groups who were told to either ignore the stress they were feeling or who played video games before the scenario.
How to Shift Your Thinking
To shift your thinking about stress, try utilizing mindfulness when you are feeling calm.
For example, visualize yourself in a situation where stress is inevitable. Try to make the situation realistic. That is, something that you would typically face in your normal life. Then, consider how you would react, both physically and mentally. And allow yourself to feel the anxiety and tension.
Finally, imagine calming yourself down and regulating your feelings and reactions. This kind of mental practice can actually better prepare you for when stress does occur so that you feel more in control.
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No doubt about it—stress is inevitable. Even if you try to minimize sources of stress, it will still find a way to creep into your life.
But, if you recognize that how you respond to stress is actually quite normal, then it’s possible to change your perception and become more resilient to stress. Using mindfulness, you can indeed prepare yourself for when stress does occur.
However, if you find yourself still struggling with stress, consider talking to a therapist who understands this issue and can help. For more information about coping with stress and anxiety, click HERE.
