Tess – I get the procrastination thing. I feel so much “lighter” when I finally do what I’m supposed to do!

Karl – I once heard someone say (or read a quote, can’t remember): Without stress I’d be dead”. Stress is energy – it’s how we choose to use it. Can’t wait to talk more this weekend!

Katie – Thank you for prioritizing me ahead of your work! I like your thoughts about using it as a compass point. That, to me, says you are aware of it…which many people are not. And knowing what it is and how it shows up is a great first step in turning stress into success.

Evita – I, too, believe stress has to do with our thoughts…which is why I’m a believer in yoga and meditation to more effectively manage stressful events.

Lance – good analogy. Too much of anything is not always good for us, is what I’m taking away from your comment…

Chris – Once I became aware of how stress affects me I became much more “in control” over my own life – at home and at work. It really does make a difference.

Jodi – I often use that public speaking example in my workshops. The stress helps me prepare and practice more! Thanks for stopping by!

Good stress is also when I am presenting something to a group of people. Those are the times when I know I need to step up and be over-prepared for all possibilities. I am always thankful for this kind of stress because it always equals a growth opportunity.

So, workplace stress. And how does it relate to working out? Well, I think that when we are feeling some extra stress in the workplace, we are also given the opportunity to strengthen another part of our being – our minds and our emotional being. And in so doing, we become more adapt at that particular situation. Again, I wouldn’t want to be under mental or emotional stress all the time. In those moments when I am, though, I strengthen another part of me.

Okay – all that said – maybe a big part of this is also how we “handle” that stress. I think it is. There are good ways and not so good ways of working through stressful moments. And while I see these moments as being opportunities for us to grow in some way, they are also not something I go out looking for. I have to agree with Evita, that there is something to our whole thought process in all of this, and that can make all the difference in how “challenging” a perceived stressful situation might be.

For example a company may have missed a huge deal and one CEO will flip inside out over it, while another understands the perfection of all in the Universe and allows the moment to be in peace for they realize that is exactly how things were meant to go.

To me any talk of stress always comes back to our thoughts and how we choose to see the world. If we take a deeper look at that, we may find that stress takes on a whole new role in our lives, one that is not negative at all. Moments of presence, moments of stillness throughout our day allow us the most opportunities to act instead of react to anything that comes our way. And when we act from a place of consciousness, we quickly become empowered and rise to a state where we realize that things are not as much out of our control as we may have thought them to be.

Now the things that we do care about there is good stress that motivates us to take action. I get stressed when I speak to a large group, but I channel that stress to stay focused. If I didn’t care I probably wouldn’t give a good presentation.

To me we lump stress into too many categories. Stress is pressure we put on ourselves too accomplish external goals. I like to think of anxiety/worry (internal conflict) as another category. The old saying goes something like… “Accept what you can’t change, change what you can, and know the difference!”

Thanks for the link. The teleseminar will definitely help people learn how to harness their stress.

When I worked as a therapist we were required to write copious notes for the insurance companies. I don’t like paperwork! I was always behind. Then I’d obssess about an insurance company calling and asking for notes I didn’t have. It’s seems silly looking back. Again if I did the difficult first I’d have less stress.

I think creativity and good stress are related. When I have a project and need to get it done I might be afraid of doing something wrong. Yet when I embrace our fears and work through them it allows creativity to flow. That’s how it works for me anyway! Going over to see Karl now!