How Eustress Strengthens Your Mind & Easy Ways to Cultivate It
Eustress, or “good stress,” doesn’t just make us more resilient—it also helps clean the brain. But how can we turn bad stress into good stress?
Stress isn’t just an emotional reaction; it plays a crucial biological role in the brain. When we’re stressed, our body releases neurotransmitters and hormones like cortisol, norepinephrine, and dopamine to help us navigate challenges.
Here’s the fascinating part: Moderate stress activates the brain’s natural cleaning system—the glymphatic system—which flushes out toxins and clears waste while we sleep. Stress also strengthens neural pathways, improving our adaptability and cognitive function over time.
But when stress becomes chronic, it backfires. Excess cortisol floods the brain, leading to mental fog, anxiety, and burnout. That’s why the key to long-term resilience is learning how to balance healthy stress with proper recovery.
How Can We Change Bad Stress Into Good Stress?
Not all stress has to be harmful. How we perceive stress can determine whether it helps or hurts us. Here’s how to shift distress into eustress:
1. Reframe the Challenge
Instead of seeing stress as a threat, reframe it as a challenge that helps you grow.
Example: Instead of thinking, “This is too much, I can’t handle it,” try “This is difficult, but it’s making me stronger.”
2. Make Stress Work for You
Instead of avoiding stress, use it as fuel for motivation and growth.
Example: If you feel nervous before a presentation, remind yourself that your body is preparing you to focus and perform well.
3. Pair Stress With Recovery
The key to resilience is balancing stress with intentional rest.
Example: If you’ve had a stressful day, don’t just push through—schedule a 10-minute walk, deep breathing, or a fun activity to reset your brain.
4. Connect With Others
Stress feels worse when we face it alone. Talking to someone can help reframe the stress and make it feel more manageable.
Example: When you feel overwhelmed, reach out to a friend, mentor, or therapist for support.
Eustress motivates and challenges us, and helps us adapt and grow without leading to burnout.
Without any stress, we can feel unmotivated and stagnant. But with too much negative stress, we risk burnout and anxiety. The key to resilience? Intentionally increasing positive stress while reducing harmful stress
If you’re feeling stuck in distress or looking to build more resilience, we can help. Our therapists specialize in trauma recovery, and offer therapies that help clients strengthen their resilience including Brainspotting and EMDR.