Stress & Coping

Stress is a normal and healthy aspect of being human. It occurs any time we need to adapt to new demands and it almost always fosters growth.

Stress is only considered to be harmful under two conditions: when it is traumatic, meaning that it overwhelms a person’s coping resources, or when it is chronic, meaning that it becomes unrelenting.

Psychological and intellectual stress can be likened to physical strength training. Working at the edge of our capacity is stressful, but it’s also growth-giving when paired with time to recover.

Stress mindset matters. Viewing stress as inherently toxic makes stressful experiences worse. Viewing stress as growth-giving makes stress easier to bear.

In order to be growth-giving, stress must be accompanied by restorative intervals that involve healthy coping in the form of positive social connections, enjoyable distractions, and/or self-care.