We do this because eustress is the 'good kind of stress' that keeps us feeling vital and alive. That's right, it's good to have some stress in life, if it's eustress. It keeps us healthy. It comes from exciting activities like riding roller coasters or playing tag, as well as from meeting challenges and pushing ourselves to succeed at areas in which we have talent. (Read this for more about types of stress.)
Things get more risky for our health and wellbeing if we experience repeated, negative stress known as chronic stress. Rather than coming from challenges and fun events, chronic stress is that negative stress that we experience when we have a stressful work environment, conflict at home, or other situations where the stress seems constant and inescapable, or excessive. Many of us experience this, too.
There are also those who don't have enough eustress in their lives from riding roller-coasters and taking on new challenges, and unwittingly create too much busy-ness or drama in their lives. Adrenaline junkies, stress addicts, drama queens--we all know them (and some of you reading this are them). There's a limit to how much stress is healthy, and those who cause excessive drama in their own lives--especially if they're not aware that they're doing it--are at risk of surpassing that limit.
Read more about types of stress and how to handle it in healthy ways, if you don't already know. It's an important part of stress management, and can help you create a healthier lifestyle. And, while you're working on a healthier lifestyle, be sure not to eat too many deep-fried Oreos!
Stress Resources from Elizabeth Scott:
How Do You Know You're Under Too Much Stress?
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This is SO true. I’m a homeschooler, and people say that I must be so stressed because I’m homeschooling, and it seems like we’re doing so much, so busy, juggling so many activities. But we love them all, and the challenge of doing new things is part of what makes us feel alive! We love it.
Good stress (eustress (how is that pronounced?)) is good for us, and it feels different than bad stress. Personally, I use good stress to stave off depression and anxiety. Perhaps we need to be encouraged to add more stress into our lives once in a while, instead of always seeking to run away from stress and try to fight it. Instead, let’s transform it.
Great post!
Great points, Tammy! So many people see the goal of stress management as seeking to eliminate stress, but we really do need some stress in our lives. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary stress, learn to *manage* the rest by maintaining a balance of eustress (pronounced ‘you-stress’) and learning techniques to reverse your stress response when necessary, in order to avoid the effects of chronic stress. (It gets a little more complex than this, but this is a rough outline.)
It sounds like you’re doing a great job of finding balance by reducing the type of stress that isn’t productive for you, and adding in excitement and challenges that lead to eustress, so you don’t feel ‘stressed’, you just feel ‘alive’. What a great example to teach your kids : )
Thanks for the comment!