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The "Good" Stress Hack Nobody Talks About

Our conversations around stress have become overwhelmingly negative: Stress is bad. Stress kills. This viewpoint is so pervasive and widely accepted that many people forget that our stress response system actually serves an essential purpose.

But chronic stress is indeed harmful—it does kill, and it's specifically designed to throw us out of balance.

What evolved as a survival mechanism has, for many, devolved into a 24/7 alarm triggered by situations that pose no real imminent threat.

However, avoiding stress isn’t the solution. Why? Because it's impossible. We're evolutionarily hardwired to stress forever.

The secret is rewiring our brains to channel negative stress into positive stress.

All Stress Is Not Made Equal

Stress in America has received the same treatment as fat in our diet—stripped of nuance, denigrated, and meant to be excised from our lives. But, like dietary fat, stress isn't inherently bad.

There are actually multiple types of stress humans encounter, and one particularly beneficial type is eustress.

Eustress, or positive stress, is the beneficial stress we feel when faced with exciting challenges that push us forward rather than hold us back. It typically occurs in challenging yet achievable situations, like reaching an ambitious goal, starting a new career, or embarking on a personal development journey. This is the “good” type of stress we rarely discuss.

We must remember our stress response system developed to protect us from danger. It's a complex function we should celebrate as a unique part of the human experience.

Therefore, attempting to erase stress from your life is futile. It's hardwired into you. The focus should be on rewiring your brain to channel distress (negative stress) into eustress (positive stress); a process we call "Eushifting," or shifting distress into empowering, positive stress.

The Eushift Method in Action

The method is simple and consists of three steps: recognition, neutralization, and channeling. Recognition is identifying the distress. Neutralization is mentally putting up a big red stop sign to eliminate the distress. Channeling is reframing distress into eustress.

Let’s use the example of going to the gym. Approximately 40 to 50 percent of people don’t work out because they are self conscious about their appearance. Applying the Eushift method would look like this:

  • Recognition: Recognizing and acknowledging stress around working out.

  • Neutralization: You tell yourself, “Stop. Everyone starts somewhere, and my fitness journey is personal, not a public performance.”

  • Channeling: Actively converting distress into positive action by going to the gym and being grateful for the opportunity to do something beneficial for yourself.

But why channel stress into eustress instead of eliminating it? Because stress is fuel. Your stress response system is designed to make you react. Recognizing distress, neutralizing it, and taking action transforms distress into productive eustress.

Tips to Take With You

  • Self awareness, honesty, and gratitude make up the secret sauce. You can’t recognize your stressors without being aware of them. You can’t accept them without being honest. And channeling distress into eustress is challenging without gratitude for the opportunity to improve. Having these tools before applying this method will tremendously improve your outcome.

  • Learn to manage your different types of stress. We experience many stressors, and not all stress suits this method. It's essential to manage other stressors to devote energy to positive stress, effectively building a moat around your Eushift castle. Consider quality adrenal support supplements like ZenAdren, living a healthier lifestyle, or speaking with a therapist.

  • Like anything in life, the Eushift Method has its limitations. Although eustress is beneficial, it's still stress. Ensure it doesn't become excessive, as it could negatively impact your health.

  • Set specific, measurable, and realistic goals. The critical moment in the Eushift Method is taking action. Create a plan or commit to overcoming the stressor. But remember, these goals should be specific, measurable, and realistic. For example, if you have social anxiety, committing to speak to 100 people at a large industry conference may be excessive. Instead, it might be better to email five people in your field to schedule a 30-minute coffee chat.

  • Consistency is everything. Rewiring your brain doesn’t happen overnight. It takes failing, resetting, and trying again. Discipline matters, but it’s easier to stay consistent when your goals are realistic and measurable.

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