Flipping the script on stress

When you think about stress - do you have a generally negative or positive reaction?

Many of us have the general attitude: stress = bad.

Headlines (mine included!) about burnout, overwhelm, etc... tend to emphasize the troublesome sides of stress.

Also, stress can be actually uncomfortable. So there is that!

But feeling like we are in a battle with stress creates more stress.

This is why clients I work with tackle shifting their internal attitude about stress as well as making external changes.

One client I'll call Shelly had been shaken up by big changes at work and home on top of the pandemic. The cumulation of these stressors put her on edge - doubting herself, questioning motives, and bracing for trouble around every corner.

Together we sifted through which threats needed serious attention and which could wait. But we also worked on her relationship to the stress.

"Coaching helped me explore my own reactions to external events and other personality types to help me achieve greater understanding, both of them and of myself. This, in turn, has enabled me to more effectively navigate challenging situations."

- Shelly

In the year we worked together, Shelly's resilience grew considerably and as it did she got a promotion, hired a strong team around her, and got the work-from-home flexibility she needed.

I see the power of this perspective shift all the time.

Our individual attitudes toward stress vary somewhat but there are some common themes (like, "stress is bad for my health" or "stress is a sign I can't handle this") which are only partially true.

In fact there is a real good side to stress. And by spotting and embracing the good parts of stress we often flip the script of stress in our lives in a big way.

Kelly McGonigal's book - The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good For You, and How to Get Good At It - covers some of these nuances in a really approachable way.

Much love,

Marijke Ocean

P.S. Are you curious about how coaching could help you move through a difficult time? Start with a free, Explore Coaching session to find out more.