You may have heard that there's "good stress" and "bad stress."
Do you know what people mean by that?
We almost never hear people say, "I'm really feeling stressed -- isn't that awesome ?" But if we didn't have some stress in our lives -- the 'good stress' variety -- we'd feel lacking in direction and unhappy. If we define stress as anything that changes our balance, for good or for bad, then good stress, in its many forms, is essential for a healthy life.
We always think of “stress” with negative connotations, as always being bad for you. But that’s not the case. Eustress, or ‘good stress’, is what keeps us feeling alive and excited about the day ahead. While it’s still possible to get too much good stress, it’s important to get enough of it, and to try to experience some of our stressors as good stress rather than a more negative form of stress
"Good stress," or what psychologists refer to as "Eustress," is the type of stress we feel when we feel excited. Our heart rate quickens, our hormones change, but there is no risk or fear. We feel this type of stress when we ride a roller coaster, or go on a first date or whenever we anticipate something good that is about to happen. This kind of stress keeps us feeling alive and excited about life.
According to experts, stress is a burst of energy that essentially advises you on what to do. In small doses, it has many advantages. For example, stress can help you meet daily challenges and to reach your goals. In fact, stress can help you accomplish tasks efficiently. It can even boost memory!
Overall, it's important to have good stress in your life. By making the effort to cut out as much chronic stress as possible, changing your perception of stress where you can, and adding some positive activities in the mix to promote eustress, you can create a nice balance of good stress in your life.
