Stressed?

It’s Monday, and each of us will probably encounter some stress today. But not all stress is bad. In fact, some stress is good for us. Consider the following story from Scott Hamilton…

Stress not only helps us get to the winner’s circle, but it also gives us the strength to stay there. In fact, a group of scientists undertook a study about Earth’s living systems using a biosphere, which allowed them to witness the growing patterns of trees. One of the most profound things they discovered had to do with the wind’s role in a tree’s life. Pay attention to what happened when trees grew up in the biosphere, shielded from the pain of the natural elements:

The trees inside Biosphere 2 grew rapidly, more rapidly than they did outside of the dome, but they also fell over before reaching maturation. After looking at the root systems and outer layers of bark, the scientists came to realize that a lack of wind in Biosphere 2 caused a deficiency of stress wood. Stress wood helps a tree position itself for optimal sun absorption and it also helps trees grow more solidly. Without stress wood, a tree can grow quickly, but it cannot support itself fully. It cannot withstand normal wear and tear, and survive. In other words, the trees needed some stress in order to thrive in the long run.

So, today, when you encounter stress, don’t automatically think of it as an intrusion or an annoyance. Instead, focus on how weathering the stress will make you stronger. Doing so will help you use stress for your benefit instead of making you feel used by your stress.

And who knows – you might even start looking forward to Mondays!