4. You can change your perception of stress. We know that high amounts of stress are associated with impaired mental and physical health and well-being, but there’s a twist. Research shows that our perception of stress as harmful is what really gives it teeth.17 That is, getting overly stressed about stress is what really pushes us into the mud. This is why a study conducted by scientists at the University of Denver found that if we can consciously reappraise stressful situations—choose to look at them differently—we can drain them of much of their destructive power.
