Good Stress vs Bad Stress
Not all stress is bad.
Typically when we think of, and talk about stress, it’s negative.
According to the American Institute of Stress, 77% of people report stress having an impact on their physical health as well as their mental health. The most common stressors are money, jobs, family relationships, and health.
But not all stress is bad!
Eustress is defined as “a positive form of stress having a beneficial effect on health, motivation, performance, and emotional well-being.” Some examples of eustress are:
nervousness before a big game
A job promotion
Moving out and going to college
Getting married
Traveling to a new country
Learning a new language
Stress you experience before a big game can help you to be focused and improve performance. Getting a promotion or going off to college is typically very stressful for people because it comes with a new set of responsibilities and expectations; and it is an opportunity for huge personal growth.
Eustress can help you grow physically, mentally, and emotionally.
We all know that long term negative stress, distress, can have negative effects on your health including increasing the risk of anxiety and depression. A big difference between distress and eustress is that eustress is typically not long lasting, increases energy and motivation, feels exciting, and can improve focus and performance.
This type of stress is important and positive because it helps to build resilience. Resilience is something we learn through life by getting through the challenges. While we are taught to think of stress as being ”bad”, we encourage you to welcome and embrace the good stress to develop resilience in your life. Remember that distress can also be converted into eustress with the right mindset.