PEOPLE DISAGREE a lot these days, but they do tend to agree on a few things. For one, the dominant cultural understanding of stress is that it is bad for us. This conception of stress leads countless individuals to embrace the common goal of reducing or avoiding it from day to day. But, given that stress is a fact of modern life, we propose an alternative approach: stress optimization.
The widespread negative evaluation of stress has arisen, in part, because of research documenting its effects on our physical and mental health, brain aging and cardiovascular disease. The truth about stress, however, is not quite so grim. Multiple lines of research link it with several beneficial outcomes. For instance, studies link stress to personal initiative and productivity as well as physiological thriving.
Even high-intensity stress experiences triggered by life-threatening events can sometimes have positive outcomes — including improved relationships, a greater appreciation for life and enhanced perceptions of inner strength —a phenomenon known as ‘post-traumatic growth.’.
