1 min readStress Can Be Your Friend
by Guy Gage | September 8, 2019 | Business, Leadership, Personal Management
Your Mind Changes Stress
When you change your mind about stress, you change your body’s response to it. This comes from the research conducted by Dr, Kelly McGonigal, a Stanford professor and researcher. She presented her findings in this TED Talk a few years ago. We now know that when you view your bodily responses to stressful situations as preparing yourself to rise to a challenge, you engage the situation with energy.
The Experience Itself Isn’t Stressful
Before you discount this as poppycock, let’s go to an amusement park for a test. You and I are standing in line to ride the mega-roller coaster. You really love the thrill of being tossed around at high speed, twisting and winding, up and down. Me? Well I’m fearful for my life. I HATE roller coasters. I get nauseous just imagining myself there, let alone actually being on one.
In your excitement, you describe your anticipatory experience—heart pounding, fast, shallow breathing, feeling hyped and keenly alert. As you describe your symptoms, I can relate, because I feel all those same things. How can that be? You love it and I hate it! Even though our bodies react the same way, there is one difference. Your excitement also produces neurohormones that change the experience from dread to enthusiasm. Hmm.
Change Stress at Work
The same goes for your stressful situations at work. You are now in the height of being crazy busy. But if you change your mindset of the stressful situation from dread to a challenge, you will fare far better…as long as you remember that stress is your friend.
For today, look at your work as challenges to overcome. And enjoy the ride.
Read Related Blogs:
Leading with Certainty: Anchoring Leadership in Vision and Values
Effective leadership is grounded in the certainty of what is known: the long-term vision, enduring values, and guiding principles that define an organization’s identity. In a recent coaching conversation with a senior leader navigating a period of rapid change, this...
Courageous Leadership: Understanding Fear in Times of Change
In the midst of writing last week’s Monday message, I was preparing to facilitate a session titled Courageous Leadership: Navigating Change, Fear, and Uncertainty. During that session, one of the attendees questioned the use of the term fear. She didn’t feel that fear...
Navigating Change: Leading with Strength and Vision
Change can feel unsettling, but great leaders know that navigating uncertainty requires two critical elements: certainty and relatedness. When people feel secure in their direction and connected to those around them, they can embrace transition with confidence. Create...
