A study done by Abiola Keller, titled “Does the Perception That Stress Affects Health Matter?” of almost 30,000 individuals, provide significant conclusions to consider for yourself:
- High amounts of stress and the perception that stress impacts health are associated with poor health and mental health.
- Individuals who noted a lot of stress in their life and noted stress as harmful had a 43 percent increased risk in death.
- Individuals who reported the same level of stress but did not view stress as being harmful had a 17 percent decreased risk of death.
- In other words, if you perceive stress is harmful to your health, it is likely it will be on the other hand, if you perceive stress is not harmful to your health, it may not be. Rather it can be leveraged as a source of energy.
This study was elaborated on in the book, Leading Well from Within, by Dr. Daniel Friedland.
Dr Friedland further expanded on how to reappraise stress so we can view it as something to use for constructive purposes rather than tearing us down.
Here is a process I have gleaned from this book you may find helpful:
- Acknowledge when you are stressed.
- Welcome stress as a response to something you care about.
- Use the energy of stress as a resource to move you toward your goals—your constructive intentions rather than just trying to manage it.
- Enjoy the challenge and feel free to go with the flow of the amped up energy at hand trusting it will turn off when no longer needed.
I know this opens a consideration to learn more in this respect and I would encourage you to read Dr. Friedland’s book. There is a condensed summary version of it.
I will soon be opening a platform where we can consider such things together with the launching of The Conscious Healthy Aging—Well-Being Circle.
A virtual place where we can consider the things that matter for our health—physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially.
For Our Greater Well-Being,
Dr. Steve
