Stress sucks. Stress is unavoidable (most of the time). Stress has turned into such a nasty word. But why? Why do we get so bent out of shape over stress when stress is already bending us out of shape? We shouldn’t stress about stress, even typing that out sounds silly.

So what if we can rethink the word stress, or rethink what stress actually is and what it does? The idea may not seem as crazy as it sounds.

ASU Now

Here out the My Domaine on how we can rethink about stress.

“Stress is an evolutionary tool that enabled our ancestors to face fear, perform, survive, and excel. It fuels our fire, gets our minds and bodies pumped with energy, and propels us to take on challenges. There has been no shortage of research in recent years about the negative long-term consequences of sustained stress, from cardiovascular effects to depression and weight gain. But when we change our mindset to think of stress as a challenge versus a threat, we can actually determine and change the anatomic effects stress has on our bodies.

Basically, how we “appraise” stress—as a positive or negative thing—determines how our body reacts in kind and can break the link between negative experiences and “malignant physiological responses,” explains researchers who authored a 2012 study in Psychology Today on “The Power of Reappraisal.” By appraising stress as a positive tool for enhanced performance (i.e., as a challenge), we train our body to respond to stress with a positive physical state, instead of a negative one with negative long-term impacts on health.”

What do you think? Is it worth giving a try?