Distress vs. Eustress. When we use the word stress, we are usually implying that stress is a purely negative thing. But not all stress is the same. To generalize, there are two different types of stress: Distress & Eustress. Distress is stress that is not wanted. It causes anxiety, painful tension or pressure, strain, and suffering. It is negative and detrimental to you. Eustress, on the other hand, is stress that is perceived as positive or beneficial by the person experiencing it. It is stress that is experienced as wanted, fulfilling, meaningful, exciting, and a pleasurable tension or pressure. Eustress most commonly occurs when we are facing a new challenge. But it's a challenge that is wanted. Eustress tends to occur when we feel we are adequate for the task and therefore confident and positively stimulated by that challenge. Whereas distress tends to occur when we feel overwhelmed because we feel that we're not adequate for the task.

We lack the necessary resources 
to meet the demand, and therefore, not confident. Eustress is necessary for personal growth. It is necessary for a sense 
of fulfillment and happiness. Distress, on the other hand, is detrimental to health and well-being. Being so unique, all people have a different experience when it comes to what causes them
eustress versus distress. And this is especially the case 
when it comes to your purpose. We could consider you to be 
made for your purpose, right? Otherwise, what else 
are you doing on this earth? So if you are made for a specific purpose, that also means you're made for 
specific types of stress. Now if you're experiencing a stress in the category of something 
that you were made for, or in other words, experiencing a type of stress 
you were made for, then it's going to tend towards 
the category of eustress instead of distress. So you can understand 
what I mean by this concept.

I'll give you a few examples. One person might find the experience of having somebody else's 
life in their hands, literally, of having to focus with so
much perfection and precision in terms of every movement you make so that that other person 
whose life is in your hands, lives... because one slip-up can mean they die, that kind of pressure, that kind of experience could be complete distress for one person. I mean to one person 
it could be hell on earth, even the idea of it 
could make a person totally shut down. Another person could feel stimulated, fueled and fulfilled 
by that very experience. A surgeon is one such example. One person might find the pressure 
of planning and organizing overwhelming and uptight and restricting and painful, like it sucks all the energy out of life. Another person could find it 
a rewarding challenge, a way of gaining a sense of control 
and influence over their experience, a way of creating purity 
as opposed to chaos.

a way of sensing accomplishment as well as grounding and satiating. One person might find 
the idea of taking a test so stressful that 
they can't sleep at night before they do it, and they're throwing up 
right before they take the test. Another person might love taking tests. It might make them feel 
like they love being focused, like they love the competition 
for a high score, like they love that pressure 
of having to get things perfectly right. One person might find the idea of being on stage in front of people 
terrifying, and begin to hyperventilate. Another might enjoy the pressure 
to perform and entertain and revel in the confidence when they feel like they're able to 
capture everyone's attention and make them laugh or cry. One person might hate travel and find it unpredictable and threatening, another might love the excitement 
of the adventure and the challenge of having to figure things out 
in a whole new place. Eustress is not always comfortable.

It doesn't always feel good, but it doesn't cause distress. Instead, it feels as if the pressure that you're under, or that positive stress that you're under, is productive in some way. It is a form of pressure that is wanted and therefore chosen. An even more advanced form of this is pain that is chosen. To learn about that, you can watch my video titled: Want To Succeed? What Pain Will You Say Yes To? When it comes to developing your self-awareness and arriving at authenticity, and figuring out your purpose, and knowing whether you're on the right path of growth in your life, it's important to understand what naturally causes you Eustress. It is also important to know that certain factors can determine whether you perceive something as eustress versus distress. For example, if you grew up in a family where there were huge consequences for speaking your mind, that association you have with voicing your opinion may cause you to feel distressed during a debate.

instead of the eustress 
of the mental chess game that you might otherwise feel. Also, certain factors can turn something that we would normally
fit into the category of eustress, instead, into the category of distress. Here's a simple example: Let's say that an athlete usually feels the sensation of eustress pushing their body towards 
some athletic achievement. However, let's say that they get sick. Now, suddenly, pushing their body towards that same academic achievement, which would normally 
cause them to feel eustress, now causes them to feel distress. Perhaps the biggest determiner of whether we experience 
something as eustress or as distress is about whether or not 
we want to do it. When we are being forced to, or feel like we're being 
forced to do something, or have to do something 
that we don't want to do, we naturally fit that 
into the distress category. We can change our perceptions about whatever it is that we are doing.

We can decrease our level of distress. We can even think in a way or change our thoughts or perceptions in a way that we can turn things that are distressing into seeing them in a eustressful way. ~ Laughter ~ We feel distressed instead of eustress when we perceive something to be a threat, rather than a challenge. And we can change our perception that something is a threat. We can turn things into a welcome and positive challenge instead. But being attuned to what causes you eustress naturally, as opposed to taking something that currently causes you distress and trying to turn it into something that causes you eustress, is a really important element of your life, of finding your purpose, of going in the right direction. It's critical when it comes to understanding your intrinsic interests and intrinsic motivations. And so, I will leave you with these two questions; The first is: What stress do you naturally find pleasurable?

The second is: Have you noticed anything
that causes other people distress, that instead, you consider to be a pleasurable 
and welcome challenge? Have a good week. If you liked this video, be sure to share it, like it, 
and also subscribe to my channel so you can see more content like this. But I want to personally thank you
for taking the initiative and having the bravery to step 
into the space of awareness not only for yourself, but for the benefit of those around you. Subtitles by: Tanya Duarte

How You Can Use Stress to Your Advantage - Distress vs Eustress

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