Eustress

Eustress.

Stress gets a bad rap these days. Did you know that there are actually two types of stress? While reading The Road to Happiness is Always Under Construction by K. Jeffrey Miller,  I learned that what we usually think of as stress is called distress. 

Remarkably, there actually is a good type of stress that contributes to our happiness. Eustress  according to Miller is, “...stress that causes the body and mind to respond by becoming stronger.” He sites things like “exercise, studying, and goal setting” as examples of eustress. This eustress results in “improvements and advancements.”

I remember once attending a health fair at Market Hall in my mid-twenties. My life at that time had become pretty stagnant. I was teaching, and had recently finished graduate school. My best friend, and roommate was involved in a serious relationship, and I was finding myself with a lot of time on my hands. 

To be honest, my life had fallen into a sort of malaise as I wondered if my dream of being a wife and mother was ever going to happen? Rather than challenge myself to meet new people or try something new I went through my days on an autopilot of sorts. 

In fact, the reason I had attended the health fair in the first place was just an attempt to get out of my apartment, and do something on a Sunday afternoon. While I was there I took a stress test which basically revolved around answering a series of questions. 

Much to my surprise the results showed that I did not have enough stress in my life. Of course, at the time I had never heard of the term eustress, but thinking back, I’m sure that was the problem. 

I may not have had an incredible amount of distress in my life, but I certainly was lacking in the eustress department. I remember making a few changes after that. It wouldn’t be too much longer that that I ended up moving to my own apartment, joined an exercise class, and began studying photography. 

My life did become more interesting, and it wasn’t long after that that I met my future husband, and my dream of a family of my own became a reality. Today as a retiree I love the stress free life I live, but I always need to challenge myself to keep some eustress in my life. 

Studies have shown that social connections are critical for good health in the senior population. As a more introverted person by nature I am content to spend quite a bit of time alone. However, I do push myself to include social activities throughout the week, as I also enjoy the company of others. 

Finding that balance between distress and eustress is an important part of living a happier life.