Stress is your friend

HOW IS STRESS YOUR FRIEND?FOR OVER 20 YEARS, MICHELLE HAS BEEN TEACHING COPING SKILLS AND HOW TO AVOID STRESS, BUT HAS NOW DONE AN ABOUT FACE AND CHANGED HER TUNE.
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SHE BELIEVES WE SHOULD INSTEAD
​MAKE STRESS OUR FRIEND!

STRESS IS A BLESSING GIVEN TO US WHICH 'CAN' HELP WARD OFF DISEASE, INCREASE PERFORMANCE, AND MAKE US SOCIAL BEINGS!  BY REIMAGINING HOW YOU THINK ABOUT STRESS, YOU CAN RETEACH YOUR BODY TO RESPOND IN A HEALTHY WAY. USE STRESS TO HELP YOU ACE THE TEST, COMPLETE THE PROJECT, OR EVEN ASK FOR DIRECTIONS!  USE STRESS TO HELP STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND LEARN TO BECOME EMOTIONALLY RESILIENT.
WHEN STRESSED, YOUR PUPILS MAY DILATE, HEART BEATS FASTER,  BREATHING QUICKENS, AND YOU MAY EVEN BREAK OUT INTO A SWEAT. PEOPLE OFTEN VIEW THESE AS NEGATIVE SIGNS THAT YOU’RE NOT COPING WELL.  BUT, IT ACTUALLY MEANS THAT YOUR BRAIN IS DOING ITS JOB AND PREPARING YOUR BODY FOR ACTION. IT IS PROTECTING YOU.

THINK OF IT THIS WAY: IMAGINE YOUR ARE CROSSING THE STREET WHEN A CAR SUDDENLY APPEARS FROM AROUND THE CORNER.  IT COMES SCREECHING TOWARDS YOU.  YOUR BRAIN SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE AMYGDALA OF, "THERE IS NOT TIME TO THINK ABOUT THIS.  GET OUT OF THE WAY." YOU RUN TO THE OTHER SIDE TO CLEAR THE PATH OF THE ONCOMING CAR.  YOUR BRAIN STRESSES YOUR BODY AND SIGNALS YOUR EYES/EARS/LEGS/HEART TO MOVE QUICKLY INTO ACTION TO SAVE YOU!  HALLELUJAH!  

THE NEXT TIME YOU ARE STRESSED, THINK ABOUT IT AS YOUR BODY PROTECTING YOU BY PREPARING YOU FOR THE CHALLENGE.  

STRESS MAKES YOU SOCIAL. OXYTOCIN IS KNOWN AS THE 'HUGGING HORMONE'.  IT IS RELEASED DURING TIMES OF STRESS AND PRIMES YOU TO REACH OUT FOR HELP, OR TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH OTHERS, GIVING YOU A SENSE OF STABILITY OR PROTECTION.  IT LITERALLY GIVES YOU COURAGE TO MAKE AND STRENGTHEN FRIENDSHIPS.  OXYTOCIN IS ALSO RECEIVED IN THE HEART AND EACH TIME IT IS RELEASED, YOUR STRESS RESPONSE BECOMES STRONGER AND YOU LITERALLY GAIN RESILIENCE TO STRESS.  WE NEED EACH OTHER MORE THAN YOU KNOW!

YOUR MINDSET HELPS CONTROL THE RESULTS OF STRESS.  WHEN YOU THINK OF STRESS AS BENEFICIAL, IT ACTS AS BENEFICIAL.  WHEN YOU HELP OTHERS, YOU BUILD RESILIENCE TO STRESS DUE TO THE HORMONES, CONNECTIONS AND SUPPORT YOU CREATE.  YES, WE ARE IN CONTROL OF OUR STRESS RESPONSE AND WE DECIDE HOW MUCH POWER WE GIVE TO POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE STRESS.  WE ARE THE SUPER HEROES OF OUR OWN STORIES