Kelly McGonigal, psychologist, explains in a TED Talk, that stress need not be the villain we have portrayed it to be all these years. She goes on to further explain that people who believe that stress is harmful to their health have a 43 per cent increased chance of dying.

Those that experienced similar or more levels of stress but did not believe it to be harmful to their health, were no more likely to die than those experiencing relatively little stress at all.

So what does this mean?

It means that people die prematurely, not from stress, but from the belief stress is bad for you. She goes further to suggest that we can negate the harmful effects of stress by using the signs and signals of stress to our benefit.

MORE TEA AND TALK

Kelly suggests that instead of dreading the stress symptoms such as a pounding heart, fast breathing, sweaty hands and dry mouth, we change the way we view them.

We view them as energising and preparing us to meet the challenge. If we rethink the stress response as something helpful, it will help us to perform better as well as protect our cardiovascular system from detrimental effects.

Now, the pounding heart and fast breathing is preparing us for success. Our blood vessels do not construct and there is no negative impact upon the physical body. The stress symptoms are there but not the detrimental effects.

Befriending your stress could not only save your life but it allows you the courage to take on challenges and let go of anxiety and stress (as you used to see it). Go forth my friends, feel the fear and do it anyway!