Good Stress & Bad Stress

Some stress is good stress. Good stress pushes you out of your comfort zone, but in a good way. Good stress helps you learn, grow, and get stronger.

Exercise can be another form of good stress. You feel a little uncomfortable but then you feel good, and after an hour or so, you’re done.


Each of us has a unique “recovery zone”. Our recovery zone depends on several factors such as:

• our age

• our natural personality type (i.e. are we adventure-seeking adrenaline junkies or homebodies who prefer calm and quiet?)

• our “stress resilience” — how well we cope with and rebound from stress overall

• our allostatic load — what else is going on in our lives

If your existing pile of straw is already heavy, then it’ll take only a few more straws to break you.

Assignment

What are 2 mentally stressful things that you experience regularly?

#1 Commuting to and from work

#2 Money worries

What are 2 emotionally stressful things that you experience regularly?

#1 when I am grumpy I 'lash out' at the ones I love most (my Mom and Dad, My husband, My daughter)

#2 trying to fit it all in - cooking, doing my workouts, taking care of daughter, taking care of cats, going to work, and making time for things i love to do.

What are 2 physically stressful things that you experience regularly

#1 commuting - this shows up again, since it is probably the #1 source of all my stress

#2 trying to fit it all in - cooking, doing my workouts, taking care of daughter, taking care of cats, going to work, and making time for things i love to do.