**Dear Readers,**
Ah, stress — that pesky, intensely difficult foe. But is stress always bad? Can stress actually be good for us? And how can we work stress to our advantage?
Sure, it’s not exactly a friendly thing, but if you wish for an entirely stress-free life, you may want to reconsider. A study at Penn State revealed that there may be downsides to not experiencing any stress at all. While people who didn’t experience any stressors were more likely to have fewer chronic health issues and better daily well-being, there was a trade-off: they tended to have lower cognitive function.
Since we can’t exactly eradicate all stress from our lives, we may as well learn to live with it — and even take it up another notch by embracing it.
Rebecca Heiss, Ph.D., stress physiologist, keynote speaker, and author of *Springboard: Transform Stress to Work for You*, explains:
“The reframe starts with recognizing that stress isn’t good or bad — it’s simply energy. Rather than fight against it, we can use stress (in all forms) to springboard us to our highest levels of performance, passion, and purpose. When framed properly, any stress can be used in a way to move us toward our goals (whatever they might be) in a manner that offers more meaning and joy along the way.
My research shows that over 58% of Americans stress out even more trying to control their stress! The goal isn’t management — it’s transformation and utilization.”
We may be in the driver’s seat more than we think.
“The key is understanding that arousal and valence are processed in different parts of the brain,” says Heiss. “Your heart pounding and adrenaline surging are just high arousal; your brain gets to decide whether that’s excitement or anxiety. By consciously choosing to interpret those physiological signals as preparation for peak performance rather than signs of danger, you transform stress into rocket fuel.”
Consider the Olympics: Athletes break world records in competition, not during practice. “Records are broken when the stress is at its peak because our body is literally preparing us to perform. Stress is just energy, and we all have the ability to harness it to our benefit when we change our stress mindset,” Heiss adds.
Harvard research further supports this mindset. Participants who told themselves, “I am excited,” before giving a speech were rated as more persuasive, competent, confident, and persistent—more so than those who said, “I am calm” before their speeches.
So, when you feel stress creeping in, how you choose to interpret it is key.
“The physiological state you’re in before a high-stakes meeting is identical whether you interpret it as ‘crippling anxiety’ or ‘peak performance readiness,’” says Heiss. “Your racing heart, heightened alertness, and surge of energy are the same biological responses that help elite performers excel under pressure.”
Stress may be a challenging opponent, but it can also be your greatest ally.
*— Tribune News Service*
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/11/09/how-to-lean-on-stress-as-a-superpower/
