Quote #154: Kathy Snyder

Hi, I'm Kathy Snyder, Director of the Midland Area Wellbeing Coalition. A quote that seems to really land with me is "When you change your mind about stress, you change your body’s response." by Dr. Kelly McGonigal.

For as long as I can remember, I've handled stressful situations through being (or finding) calm and then working to be a problem solver. This has served me well for both minor and major life stressors. Both hearing this quote and watching Dr. McGonigal's amazing TedTalk -"How to Make Stress Your Friend" - helped me to see why this way of handling stress has been so useful.

I try to view stress as a challenge most of the time, rather than a threat. So instead of shutting down or freaking out, I analyze for possibilities and solutions - including getting support from others, getting my thoughts down on paper, considering different scenarios, and at times accepting that things might be out of my control.

Of course, there's lots of other effective ways people navigate stress. What works for you?

This has been brought to you by the Midland Area Wellbeing Coalition's Quotes to Live By Series. Take care!