Does stress need a solution?

“What can I do to get rid of this stress?” This is a common question I field from clients. Emotional eating is tied to feelings and that most common one is usually described as stress. Of course, we then work to better observe and describe this emotion because stress is a blanket term but on a more macro scale we also look at stress for what it is.

Stress causes adaptation. It’s how we grow. Just as the stress of biceps curls will make our arms bigger so the stress of how to solve a particular problem at work will force brain adaptations. New habits may seem difficult to form but with a simple shift we can recognize that stress is just the obstacle that needs to be overcome in order to grow from the struggling caterpillar to the triumphant butterfly.

Studies have shown that people who believe they have high levels of willpower don’t actually possess any more than those who struggle with self control. It’s their belief that they do that helps them to exhibit greater discipline in the face of temptation. I believe that stress response is similar. Those who see stress as opportunity to grow feel much less of a need to alleviate it than those who see it as an insurmountable obstacle.

So stop looking at stress as a roadblock to your goals and instead try to see it as another step on the staircase of personal growth. Shift your perception and perhaps your life will change along with it. After all, what do you have to lose? A little stress?