How a simple mindset switch can make you feel less stressed
When you hear the word ‘stress,’ what comes to mind? If you’re like most people, it likely carries a lot of negative baggage in your mindset: burnout, anxiety, fear… the list goes on.
But what if we stopped seeing stress as something purely negative? What if, instead, we recognized that, in small doses, stress can actually have positive effects?
Dr. Elissa Epel, a psychologist and author of The Seven-Day Stress Prescription, encourages us to do just that—and the science supports her.
In one study, students were trained to see their stress response as something that could enhance their performance during exams. Once they shifted their mindset and viewed stress as beneficial rather than harmful, their performance improved.
Similarly, research led by Dr. Alia Crum at Stanford found that when people are informed about the harmful effects of stress, their performance declines. However, when they learn about the potential benefits of stress, they perform better.
Adopting a challenge mindset
“When we focus on the benefits of stress, we experience less stress about stress itself, notice positive signals instead of threats, and approach challenges with greater confidence rather than avoiding them,” writes Epel. “With a positive mindset about stress, people feel more engaged in their work, experience more positive emotions, and have a less intense physiological stress response. What you tell yourself matters.”
The goal isn’t to pretend that stress is always a good thing or something we’d want to feel constantly—that’s unrealistic. Instead, we can start viewing stressful moments as challenges to tackle, rather than threats to fear. In essence, we can approach stress like a lion, not a gazelle.
Adopting a challenge mindset, rather than the familiar fear and anxiety-driven threat mindset, can help train your body to better cope with stress.
Not sure what that means? Stick with us. Picture a lion chasing a gazelle. Both animals are under intense stress. Their blood is pumping, heart rates elevated, and they’re both in fight-or-flight mode (the lion fights, the gazelle flees)—classic signs of stress.
But their experiences are very different. “The lion is stressed while chasing the gazelle because it wants a meal, so it views stress as a positive challenge,” Epel explains in Stylist. “The gazelle, on the other hand, is running for its life—pure threat. In a stressful situation, would you rather feel like the lion or the gazelle?”
Your stress response can be your strength
In this scenario, the gazelle’s stress response makes sense—after all, it’s in real danger. But in our daily lives, we’re rarely in literal predator-prey situations (unless you’re currently being chased by a lion, in which case, definitely run).
Our stressors tend to be more complex. What we can learn from this, however, is the power of perspective. Can we shift our mindset so we’re not the fearful gazelle, but the confident lion, ready to take on the challenge?
It’s a solid idea, but how do we actually make this shift? Epel suggests that the first step is preparation.
“Your stress response can be your strength,” she says. “Prepare yourself. Mentally equip yourself with resources—remind yourself of what you can and cannot control in the situation.
“Figure out what is within your control so you can reframe the stressor as a challenge rather than a threat. It all begins by telling yourself that your stress response is a positive tool.”
Understanding the science behind stress—and reminding yourself of it in stressful moments—can make a big difference.
The physical stress response can be uncomfortable—sweaty palms, a racing heart, and anxious thoughts. But take a moment to consider why this happens: it’s your body’s way of preparing you to effectively handle a stressful situation, potentially making you better equipped to do so.
When you view it this way, a surge of stress isn’t something to dread. Instead, it’s like a temporary superpower, boosting your energy to tackle the challenge ahead.
See stress as challenges you are fully capable of handling
“Adopting a challenge mindset rather than the familiar threat mindset—marked by fear and anxiety—can help train your body to respond to stress in a way that improves your coping abilities,” suggests Epel.
“When we experience the physical reactions of stress—elevated blood pressure, a surge of cortisol and adrenaline, and an activated nervous system—we can remind ourselves that these responses are fueling us to confront the issue more effectively.”
Of course, there’s a significant difference between manageable stress and chronic overwhelm. Staying in a prolonged state of stress can seriously harm your mental health.
But if you find yourself avoiding things out of fear or worry that they’ll be too stressful, even when deep down you know they’d be beneficial, adopting that lion mindset might be just what you need. This same perspective can apply to the everyday stresses that arise—rather than fearing them, see them as challenges you are fully capable of handling.
