Stress(ed) for Success: Rethinking Stress as A Powerful Ally (Part 2)

To MindShift, is to switch the way you think up.

If the first blog (Read Here) was about recognizing stress, this one is about reimagining it.

This next step might make your brain hurt a little because I’m asking you to think about stress in a way you probably haven’t before.

We’ve been taught to see stress as harmful; bad for our health, our productivity, our relationships.

It gets a bad rap because we've only ever learned to avoid it, numb it, or push through it.

But what if I told you stress isn’t the villain? What if stress is a key player in your growth?

Stress Is in Everything

Stress isn’t just about emotional strain or burnout. It’s the tension in your morning stretch, the pressure of your fingers on these keys, the mental effort your brain is using to take this in.

It’s embedded in every part of life.

So here’s my challenge to you:

What if we stopped trying to escape stress and started listening to it?

Stress = Information

Think of stress like an internal GPS. It’s constantly recalculating, offering you direction based on what's happening around (and within) you. It can highlight where something is off, whether it’s a lack of clarity, resources, or confidence. But it also points to what matters to you.

Consider how athletes experience stress. (Learn More) The pressure to perform in a competition isn’t just nerve-wracking; it’s also what drives them to improve their skills, train harder, and reach new levels of performance.

Consider how entrepreneurs, executives, and business people teams experience stress (Learn More). That last-minute pitch, the tough decision no one else wants to make, the looming launch, these moments aren’t just pressure-packed. They’re catalysts for refinement, strategy, and leadership evolution.

Consider how performing artists, experience stress (Learn More). The adrenaline before you step on stage, the vulnerability of sharing your art, the constant pursuit of precision and emotional truth. That edge-of-your-seat energy? It’s what sharpens timing, deepens connection to your craft, and allows raw emotion to translate into something unforgettable for your audience.

The same principle applies in everyday life and these groups can learn a lot from each other (Read Blog)

Why “De-Stressing” Might Be Doing You a Disservice

When we talk about self care, it’s usually as a way to escape the discomfort of stress. But what if, instead of escaping, we leaned into it with curiosity?

Getting in touch with what our stress is trying to communicate. Here's why I stopped doing self care, and you should too! (Read Blog)

De-stressing/Self Care is unhelpful when it's about ignoring stress or pushing it away. It’s helpful when it's about giving yourself the space to listen to what stress is telling you.

The yoga class. The bubble bath. The vacation.

Helpful? Sometimes.

Sustainable? Not if you’re just using them to silence what stress is trying to say.

Because when you come back from the spa, or the beach, or your weekly self-care routine…That stress is still waiting. Like a puppy, more excited to see you than when you left it.

You haven’t actually listened to it. You’ve just… band-aided it.

(Yes, I made that word up. And yes, I stand by it.)

The Real Work: Asking Better Questions

What if instead of soothing yourself through stress, you got curious?

Ask yourself:

• What is this stress trying to tell me?

• Is it highlighting what I care deeply about?

• Is it asking me to prepare, shift gears, or level up?

This isn’t easy work. But it is valuable.

And in the long run, listening to your stress can lead you toward more clarity, better boundaries, and greater alignment.

Stress Isn’t Just a Signal of What’s Wrong

It’s a signal of what’s meaningful. It’s often a doorway to your next level of growth.

It’s asking for your attention, not your avoidance.

So, here’s the challenge for you in this Blog:

Instead of treating stress like a problem, try treating it like a guide.

Reimagine it. Use it. Let it point you toward strength.

In Part 3 of this series we'll explore The Strengths of Stress

How to build resilience, performance, and emotional clarity using stress intentionally.

In the meantime, send me an example of something you think is totally stress-free. I dare you.

What in Your Life is Totally Stress-Free?