By Clara and Justin Hamel
Stress is stress, right? The deadlines, the to-do lists, the unexpected illness and the countless little issues that pop up throughout the day. It would appear these situations automatically create stress, but all is not as it appears. In reality, stress—and the subsequent effects stress has on us—may depend more on our perception of events and less on the events themselves. After all, two people can face the exact same situation and experience very different levels of stress.
One person may walk into an important presentation cool, calm and excited to share their ideas, while another walks in with their heart pounding, palms sweating and the conviction that all is about to go very wrong. The situation hasn’t changed, but the interpretation of it has. In the first case, the brain perceives the event as an opportunity or challenge; in the other, it is a threat. That difference in perception strongly influences the body’s experience of and resilience to stress.
Cue the amygdala. These small, almond-shaped structures buried deep within the brain act as an early warning system. When the amygdala interprets a situation as threatening, it automatically sends signals that activate the body’s stress response. The whole system worked great when we had to consistently search our environment for predators and other dangers. However, in modern day life the same system can be triggered by more mundane situations such as academic pressure, social conflict or uncertainty. When this happens frequently, the body can remain in a heightened state of alert, ready to run when the non-existent tiger emerges.
Fortunately, there are ways to help calm this response and build resilience to daily stressors. One helpful strategy is reframing your thoughts. This simply means looking at a situation from a different, more balanced perspective. Asking yourself questions like, “Is there another possible outcome?” or “Could there be another explanation?” can help shift your thinking and encourage a more realistic view of the situation.
The brain is highly adept at jumping to worst-case scenarios and turning a small worry into an Oscar-worthy drama that plays out entirely in your head. A small mistake at work can quickly become, “I’m going to get fired, then I’ll lose my home, my family will be disappointed and everything will fall apart (and so on …).” Reframing invites you to pause for a moment and question this storyline, giving yourself the chance to consider more logical and more likely outcomes. Usually, the situation is much less catastrophic than the images conjured by the imagination. By consciously choosing a more balanced interpretation, we can quiet the brain’s alarm system and respond with greater calm and perspective.
Although stress is inevitable, the perception of events plays a powerful role in determining how it is experienced. By learning to recognize and reframe thoughts that promote stress, you can reduce your body’s stress response and increase the ability to cope with everyday challenges. Practiced consistently over time, this habit can become second nature and help cultivate a greater sense of calm and peace in your daily life.
Dr. Justin Hamel and Clara Hamel have a combined over 30 years of experience in health fields. Reach them at 1° Performance & Longevity, located at 46 N. Central Park Plz., Suite 101, in Jacksonville, on Facebook or by phone at 217-243-6358.
