What do you think when you hear the word “STRESS”? Do you immediately cringe? Stress is one of the most powerful words in the English language and used often to describe times of overwhelm – for adults and for kids.
I’m here to tell you that stress plays an important role in our development. Stress is an important factor in building resilience in our kids, our employees, our community and ourselves.
How can you ever grow as a person if you don’t face adversity that pushes you to greater things? Now, before you start looking to add stress more in your life, it’s important to figure out the good kind and the kind that can hurt your mental and physical well-being.
What is “Bad” Stress
Bad stress can come in many forms. Chronic stress like that from toxic relationships, overextending yourself, not taking care of yourself – that stress can be harmful.
It’s important to recognize this type of stress and do your best to try and reduce it.
Chronic stress can lead to a host of physical and mental ailments like:
- General aches and pains.
- Grinding teeth, clenched jaw.
- Headaches.
- Indigestion or acid reflux symptoms.
- Depression
- Anxiety
And these are just a few. Many physical problems can be linked to chronic stress as well as mental health issues.
Examples of “Good” Stress
On to the good stuff…
Psychologists call this “eustress”. This is the type of stress we feel when we feel excited or nervous. It’s generally acute and passes quickly but can leave a lasting impact.
Stress that challenges us in a positive ways, the stress that forces us to strive for better and push ourselves is the good stuff. Without this type of stress, it would be impossible to become more resilient or grow as a person.
If your kids were never challenged and everything came easy to them, what would happen when a situation comes up that they haven’t tackled before? How will they rebound from tough situations and pick themselves up after they fall? Many of the stresses that happen along the way serve to strengthen them and get them prepared for larger challenges.
This is why it’s important to be there for your kids through times of stress, but not remove the stressor (yes, snowplow and lawnmover parents, I’m looking at you). And why it’s important to be there for yourself (self-care) and your employees, without trying to eliminate all stress from their lives. You couldn’t, anyway.
How Can Stress HELP You?
Watch this video and I’ll tell you all about why you shouldn’t shy away from stress and why it’s good for your kids (and you, too!).
So, what stresses you and your kids out? Is it a good or bad stress? For the bad stress, what is your plan of trying to reduce it. Let’s chat! Drop me a comment below or visit me over on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!
