“The solution to stress isn’t reassurance. It’s accurately understanding the world as it is, and making choices about what we do and how we do it. But far more than that, we relieve stress by making choices about the stories we tell ourselves.”

– Seth Godin writes about how we can change our perception to manage stress.

Wellness Tip:

Make Stress Your Friend

Stress is bad for your health. But only if you believe it is. 

That’s according to research, as described by Dr. Kelly McGonigal in her TED Talk, How to make stress your friend.

In short, how you perceive stress matters. What if, instead of seeing it as a threat, you saw it as empowering? “That pounding heart is preparing you for action,” says McGonigal. “If you’re breathing faster, it’s getting more oxygen to your brain.” 

Study participants who learned to view their stress response as helpful to their performance were less stressed out, less anxious, and more confident.

Want to give it a shot? Check out McGonigal’s full talk here and see how you can make stress your friend.

Productivity Tip:

Fill Up a Jar of Awesome

Humans are programmed to focus on the negatives (it’s called negativity bias). Good news is we can do something about it!

Celebrating small wins is one of them. It draws our attention to the good things. It’s also a reminder that we’re making progress, which reinforces us to keep going. 

Tim Ferriss shared the concept of a “jar of awesome”. Every night, you write down good things that happen on a piece of paper and put them in a jar. When you’re unmotivated, dig into the jar to remind yourself of your wins.

You can use a mason jar (like Ferriss), keep a digital list, or use your Panda Planner to track your wins (just fill in the “End of Day Review” section!) – however you do it, celebrating wins is a must.

Have you tried it yet? Let us know how it’s going for you.

Routine Breakdown

Allie Casazza, Author, Business Owner and Entrepreneur

Allie Casazza’s morning routine is a spiritually rooted ritual that enables her to stay centered for the whole day. She:

• Wakes up between 5 and 5:30, sits down in silence with a cup of coffee and lets her mind wander to the different things around her. 
• Does 10-15 minutes of meditation, in which she intentionally focuses on specific words or phrases. “Meditation is so powerful,” she says.
• Prays and goes through what’s on her mind and the challenges the day will bring. 
• Writes in her journal, alternating between stream of consciousness writing, planning, and gratitude. “If you struggle to begin, I encourage you to just start writing.“

Why it works:

• Mind-wandering has many surprising benefits (try it!).
• There are many ways to meditate – research shows they’re good for you.
• Thinking about the day’s challenges is a way of preparing mentally. 
• Journaling is powerful, as is gratitude practice.

Casazza says her entire morning routine takes about an hour and is a non-negotiable part of her day. How dedicated are you to your routine? What could you do to improve it?