Stress
What immediately crosses your mind at the mention of the word "stress"? Personally, the mere mention of the term makes me tense up and feel stressed. However, it's important to recognize that not all stress is alike.
Stress can take various forms, including anxiety, tension, suffering, and sometimes even depression. It can have negative implications for your well-being, health, environment, and relationships. Its impact extends beyond lifestyle and may permeate into your professional realm. Nevertheless, stress isn't uniformly negative. An intriguing facet of stress is "eustress," defined as moderate or normal psychological stress considered beneficial, according to Oxford Languages.
Individuals experience eustress when they feel confident in their abilities, such as when solving problems or navigating situations like event planning, moving, or making presentations at work or school. For instance, I felt stress during exams in high school and throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies, but this "good" stress motivated me to study and perform at my best.
Problems arise when this "good stress" transitions into "regular stress." Even in my professional career, the stress and anxiety associated with exams persist. Despite past academic success, the stress stems from the realization that exams determine success or failure in something significant to me.
During exams, anxiety lingers until completion, despite my confidence in achieving a passing score. The stress, coupled with the sense of accomplishment from rigorous studying, exemplifies my experience of eustress.
Eustress is viewed as positive and beneficial, contributing to a balanced perspective on stress by acknowledging both its positive and negative aspects. Stress can unexpectedly surface, like encountering traffic or checking the time while driving to a scheduled appointment. In the past, I allowed stress to overwhelm me, but now, I prioritize taking a deep breath and relieving stress through consistent breathwork and meditation.
In conclusion, stress isn't inherently bad; it can foster personal development and growth. Not all stress is negative, and when faced with stress, a simple smile can serve as a reminder that this too shall pass. Recognizing the dual nature of stress is crucial for maintaining a positive outlook on personal well-being and overall life satisfaction.
