Consider Turning a Threat Into a Challenge

Did you know you can turn your anxiety into eagerness, motivation, and inspiration with just a quick change of thinking? If you choose to perceive a stressor as a challenge rather than a threat, your body releases less cortisol (a stress hormone) and more DHEA (a hormone linked with healing and relaxation). This means you will feel physically and emotionally less anxious and more positive. Think back – when have you considered something a challenge? What were your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors as a result? In the past when you’ve regarded something as a threat, how did that affect you? Could you have reframed that situation as a challenge instead? How might that have changed your mood and response? The way we think is one of the few things we have control over – take advantage of it!