A stress mindset is understanding that your stress response helps you perform, grow, learn, and be healthy. Simply believing “stress helps me” can make these results a reality. On the flip side, if you believe stress hurts you, the opposite is true.
Changing a deeply held belief is easier said than done—especially when it comes to believing stress is harmful. You might have vivid memories of past experiences where nerves got the best of you. The negativity bias makes you more likely to hold onto negative memories in the past over the many benefits of stress. Recognizing the benefits of stress can be hard to do because you’ve either been taught to avoid it, or you’ve been so stressed for so long it just seems normal.
Print this worksheet to help you develop the belief that “stress helps me.” And read HPRC’s article on the stress mindset to understand how the stress response system works and your beliefs about stress play an important role.
Published on: November 13, 2020
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