Is It Time to Rethink Stress?

In a world where doing more often feels like the only way to succeed, stress has become the unspoken cost of ambition. Many high-achieving professionals, particularly women, are juggling career demands, family responsibilities, and societal expectations. Somewhere along the way, we learned to put ourselves last on the to-do list, wear stress like a uniform, and assume it’s a sign that we’re doing something important.

But what if our beliefs about stress are doing more harm than the stress itself?

For years, we’ve been taught that stress is something to avoid, manage, or fight. While there’s no denying that chronic, unmanaged stress can take a serious toll, emerging research suggests the story is more complex—and more empowering.

The Hidden Power of How We Think About Stress

At the heart of this conversation is the role of mindset—how we interpret and respond to the stress we experience. Dr. Alia Crum, a researcher at Stanford University, has spent years studying the impact of mindset on health and performance. In the study Rethinking Stress (Crum, Salovey & Anchor - 2013), participants watched a short 3-minute video that framed stress as either enhancing or debilitating. Those in the “stress-is-enhancing” group showed lower cortisol levels, improved cognitive function, and greater openness to feedback compared to those who viewed stress as harmful.

This research reveals something profound: small shifts in how we think about stress can change how we experience it—and how it affects our bodies and minds. With the right mindset, stress can become a tool for clarity, motivation, and growth, rather than a force that drains us.

Culture and Conditioning: Why We Default to Stress = Bad

The way we view stress isn’t formed in a vacuum. Cultural narratives teach us that stress means weakness, failure, or lack of control. We learn to suppress it, ignore it, or power through it, especially in environments that celebrate overwork and relentless productivity.

When stress is always seen as a problem, we become hyper-vigilant to its presence—triggering more stress. And ironically, the more we try to avoid it, the more harm we may cause ourselves. This mindset traps us in a cycle that leads to burnout, poor decision-making, and a disconnect from our values and goals.

A New Approach

I recently attended a powerful neuroscience session with neuropsychologist Laura Sokka, who shared a simple, research-backed framework based on the work of Dr. Alia Crum to help shift our relationship with stress that I just had to share:

1. Acknowledge Stress - Notice the signs of stress in your body, thoughts, and behaviours. Recognising and labeling stress (rather than suppressing or avoiding it) can help regulate the emotional response and engage the prefrontal cortex for more adaptive behavior. 

2. Welcome Stress - Rather than resisting it, accept that you’re stressed because you care. Stress often signals that something important to us is at stake. Ask yourself: What does this stress reveal about what I care about?

3. Utilise Stress - Reflect on how you typically respond to stress. Are your actions helping or hindering your goals? Use your stress as fuel to move forward and take purposeful action in alignment with your values and goals. 

   
   

While preparing to launch a new corporate group coaching program, my colleague and I used this framework to navigate the nerves and pressure we felt in the lead up and on the day of the launch. On the drive to the venue, we acknowledged our mix of excitement and stress—but instead of spiraling into self-doubt, we reframed it as a sign that we cared. That mindset shift helped us show up with calm, clarity, and confidence, enhancing our performance.

A Path to Preventing Burnout

This reframing doesn’t deny that stress can feel uncomfortable—but it allows us to work with stress instead of against it. And over time, this mindset shift could be one of the most powerful tools we have to prevent burnout.

Burnout thrives in environments where people feel overwhelmed, disconnected, and powerless. But when we learn to engage with stress in a healthy, intentional way, we regain a sense of agency. We reconnect with our values. We perform better. And we recover faster.

Rethink Stress, Reclaim Your Power

Stress isn’t always the enemy. Sometimes, it’s a signal that you’re growing, stretching, and striving for something that matters. What if, instead of fearing stress, we learned to listen to it, learn from it, and use it?

Imagine what would change—at work, at home, and in your health—if you could stress more mindfully and see it as an ally, instead of the enemy.

As a Health & Mental Resilience Coach, I help high-performing professionals build a sustainable relationship with stress—one that supports both success and wellbeing. If you're tired of burning out, constantly pushing through, or feeling like stress is running the show, it might be time for a new approach.

Let’s rethink stress together!

Are you or your organisation ready to turn stress into a strength? 

Book a call to learn how we can work together.