Eustress Empowered:
From Stress to Strength Interactive
In the Lab with:
Karen Smith, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Rutgers, Newark and Director of the Stress Psychophysiology and Affective Neuroscience (SPAN) Lab
Dr. Smith worked with the Walden Wise Team to design an experience to shift your perspective, explore the latest scientific insights, and gain practical strategies to support kids in managing stress positively.
Discover the power of stress as a positive force that can be harnessed to empower both you and the children in your life. Access valuable insights and practical strategies to recognize and harness the power of stress. Discover the U Curve, a powerful visual tool that illustrates the spectrum of stress that can be used to help the kids in your life thrive – even during what could be a challenging situation.
Prepare to shift your mindset and embark on a transformative journey from stress to strength, as we harness the power of science and the latest discoveries.
Interactive Menu
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Exploring the Nature of Stress
At Walden Wise, we believe in the power of collective wisdom. To shed light on the question, "Is there a good side to stress?" we hosted a CoCreator Conversation to uncover and explore a range of perspectives on stress.
As we asked the question, "When you think of stress, what words come to mind?" here are some phrases and words that emerged from our CoCreator Conversation:
Too much
Overwhelm
Hard to cope
Change in my environment
Disturbance of peace
Not "normal"
These insights serve as a reminder that stress is often synonymous with negativity and either being present or not. We hear about its detrimental effects in the media on a daily basis.
How do these words and phrases compare to your own thoughts on stress?
Take a moment to reflect and jot down your own feelings about stress and words that come to mind for you.
Deeper Dive Exercise
Write your stress-related words on colorful sticky notes or index cards. Find a large empty wall, bulletin board, or poster board and create a "Stress Wall" by sticking your words onto the surface. Arrange the words in any way that feels natural to you. As you place each word, take a moment to reflect on the emotions and associations that arise. Step back and observe the collection of words on the wall, allowing yourself to see the patterns and connections. This visual representation can serve as a starting point for exploring your thoughts and feelings about stress before diving into the empowering strategies we have in store for you.
The Science of Stress
Researchers define stress as the perception of a potential threat or challenge and the stress responses this elicits. It's how we interpret and respond to certain situations, whether they are real or perceived, happening in the present or anticipated in the future.
From an evolutionary perspective, stress is an adaptive process. Our stress response system evolves over time to help us cope with challenges. When triggered by events, real or perceived, our body's stress response is like an energy system that gets activated.
Chronic stress is like an energy system that is always on, which can lead to negative health outcomes. It's essential to understand the nature of stress and its impact on our well-being. We must all learn to understand the optimal range for ourselves and be aware that the range will change from situation to situation. It's essential to recognize that what works for one person may not work for another.
The science of stress points to two important considerations when understanding and managing stress effectively:
First, self-awareness plays a crucial role in stress management. By tuning into our emotions, physical sensations, and thoughts, we gain insight into our stress levels and can take appropriate action, fostering overall well-being.
Second, scientific research emphasizes the significance of developing effective coping strategies.
Understanding the science behind stress is crucial in our journey to unlock its hidden benefits and support children's emotional well-being. By reframing stress as a catalyst for growth and learning, we can empower children to navigate challenges with confidence.
The Positive Side of Stress
Do You Know About Eustress? Neither Did We.
It turns out that stress isn’t something that is either turned on or turned off. It happens along a spectrum from too little to too much. Eustress is the positive side of stress that energizes and motivates us, propelling us towards success and personal growth. Dr. Smith shared some wonderful insights on the nature of stress and way her research findings can help manage stress.
By embracing eustress, we can reshape our perception of stress and use it as a powerful tool to support children's emotional well-being. Working with eustress, we can unlock its hidden benefits - like heightened focus, increased productivity and a greater sense of purpose.
When children face scary feelings, anxiety, or overwhelm, understanding eustress can change everything. By helping them reframe these experiences as opportunities for growth and learning, we equip them with the tools to navigate challenges with confidence. As CoCreators we can transform stress from a burden to a catalyst and set the stage for a future where kids embrace their own power to overcome obstacles and thrive.
Let’s learn more about stress and how we can support the kids in our lives.
"To really understand stress in childhood and how it influences long-term adult development, we need to actually account for how children are perceiving and experiencing their environment. Talking to them about their own experiences of stress can help us gain valuable insights into their stress levels."
–Karen Smith, Ph.D.
QUIZ
Using the U Curve to Guide Our Way
"We can use the U Curve in all sorts of situations to help us think about our own stress and the responses we're eliciting and what part of the curve we're currently on."
–Karen Smith, Ph.D.
The U-Curve
Dr. Smith shares a powerful and yet simple tool called The U Curve. This tool shows stress along a spectrum from too little to too much, with a sweet spot of positive motivation in the middle. The U Curve shows us that stress is not a fixed experience and that finding our Just-Right spot has a positive and motivating effect. In other words, there is such a thing as “good stress” and we want everyone to know the word eustress and celebrate it.
We are thrilled to introduce Eustress Empowered: Embracing the U Curve eBook
This collaborative and transformative resource will forever change your approach to stress management. Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. Hans Selye, the U Curve reveals the exhilarating path to harnessing the potential of stress. This graphic representation, with its distinctive U shape, allows you to visualize stress levels and find the sweet spot of optimal motivation.
By using the U Curve as your compass, you gain the ability to guide yourself and the children in your life towards a balanced and empowered response to stress. It's a powerful tool that will become your ally, helping you navigate the twists and turns of life with confidence and purpose.
Subscribe for Eustress Empowered
To really put the U Curve Navigator to use, sign up for our 6-part email
series Eustress Empowered: Building the Skills Kids Need e-Series, a guided
exploration in becoming a eustress champion.
Eager to explore the transformative power of the U Curve? Download Eustress Empowered: Embracing the U Curve eBook to revolutionize your stress management approach.
Unleash the Power of Eustress
What practical strategies can CoCreators use with kids to navigate the twists and turns of stress with confidence?
Dr. Smith delves into practical techniques that can transform your stress management journey. These strategies are not just theories; they are tried and tested approaches that have the power to bring about positive change in your life and the lives of the children you support.
From validating your feelings to shifting your focus, each strategy is designed to equip you with the tools to harness the energy of stress and channel it towards growth and success.
Tools for Managing Stress
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Use the emotions “along the U” to help children identify where they are on the U Curve.
Talk about emotions as a way to help a child assess a situation.
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Talk about actions the child could take now to address the situation.
Consider routine or small steps they can take to regain a sense of control.
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Understand that a negative lens is a real thing that can alter how we see or experience a situation, ourselves or others.
Use cognitive reframing: talk about how a lens of negativity may be affecting the way you are interpreting the current situation.
Exploring other paths or options available to the child. Adults can support kids in exploring this (reframing solutions).
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Providing specific examples of how your paths have encountered roadblocks or challenges and how you worked with them.
Prompt conversations about stress when stress is not high as preventative support.
Take a moment to reflect on the empowering strategies that resonated with you the most. Which strategy speaks to you the most right now?
Here's a simple activity to get started:
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Find a quiet space to sit and take a deep breath.
Imagine a challenge you’ve recently had (something that wasn’t too bad).
Visualize yourself confidently applying the strategy you selected to this situation.
What do you hear yourself saying and doing? Reflect on your feelings. Do they change? How?
Make a commitment to notice opportunities to apply your strategy within the next 48 hours.
Embrace your role as a Eustress Superhero, ready to transform stress into strength.
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Consider designing your own superhero persona, choose a catchy name, and explore your unique powers in handling stress. Hint: the superhero persona you'll create today will come in handy in the future if you join the Eustress email series.
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Make sure to celebrate your commitment to stress transformation. After you have put your chosen strategy to work, be sure to treat yourself to a small reward or engage in an activity that brings you joy. Celebrating your success reinforces the positive impact you're making in your life and the lives of others.
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This interactive page is here to support you on your journey. Whenever you need ideas, reminders, or additional support, revisit this page. Explore other strategies, discover new insights, and continue to embrace your Eustress Superhero identity. Let's make stress transformation a part of our ongoing growth and well-being.
Join us for a Eustress Empowered e-Series
Embark on an extraordinary journey of empowering stress through our exclusive 6-part email series: Eustress Empowered: Building the Skills Kids Need e-Series. Each week you'll receive another important insight to help you empower the children in your life.
Prepare to dive into a world of engaging activities aimed at helping kids build vital skills to thrive in the face of life's challenges. Throughout this transformative journey, you and the children you care about will create something truly special together. From crafting their own eustress superhero persona (you might create and share one too), curating a personalized playlist filled with uplifting tunes, to building a toolbox overflowing with stress-busting strategies - every activity is designed to spark positive conversations, meaningful connections, and unforgettable moments.
Teachers, coaches, mentors, parents, grandparents - this is your invitation to be a part of something extraordinary. Choose the activities that resonate with you and the kids you support, and make them your own. Do one or enjoy them all. It’s up to you to cocreate exactly as you want.
Subscribe for Eustress Empowered
To really put the U Curve Navigator to use, sign up for our 6-part email series Eustress Empowered: Building the Skills Kids Need e-Series, a guided exploration in becoming a eustress champion.