When we feel threatened or under pressure, our stress response is activated and we go into ‘fight’ or ‘flight’ mode. This triggers a number of psychological and physiological changes in our bodies. To prepare us for taking action, hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are released resulting in our heart rate, breathing and alertness being increased. Imagine crossing the road just as a car comes speeding around the corner – you’d definitely be pleased at your body’s reaction as it would ensure you could run as fast as possible to avoid a dangerous situation! This is our limbic system doing what it is designed to do, which is ensure our survival.

Our ancestors would have used this part of their brain (the primitive part) to live and survive in their everyday lives, but unfortunately in 21st-century living, this part of our brain can be viewed as more of a hindrance than a help (although it doesn’t know that!). This is because we no longer need it for the purpose it was intended – to keep us safe whilst living in caves, hunting in the jungle, and having to fend off wild animals and other tribesmen. And because it can’t assess things, it perceives situations as threats when it doesn’t really need to, which can result in us feeling pretty awful at times.

The demands of life today are so very different than they were all those years ago, and whilst thankfully we are less likely to get eaten or killed, there are times when we are in a situation that we feel unable to manage or control. This can leave us feeling overwhelmed, experiencing mood changes, finding it hard to concentrate and remember things, having poor sleep, etc. If left unchecked, these weeds may flourish and could lead to anxiety, anger, depression, and other undesirable conditions manifesting themselves.

BUT, stress is not all bad! ‘Good stress’ can help us to achieve what we want in life, the goals we set for ourselves. Provided the situation is perceived as achievable, when managed effectively, challenge stress can motivate us and improve our performance. It can help us to experience feelings of personal growth and accomplishment, increasing our confidence and resilience. 

This is an area I have been working hard on for myself recently. I currently have a few plates spinning at the same time and consciously reframe how I perceive stress. I’m able to do this well now because I have my background in hypnotherapy training and experience to draw from. I also find health Psychologist, Kelly McGonigal’s, TED talk helpful for explaining how mindset and actions play a pivotal role in how the stress response impacts us. Please click here to view her talk.

If you would like some help with managing your stress levels, changing negativity into positivity, or feel you are not quite achieving what you want, please contact me. I’d love to help you!