Ludwig Claude P.

Lelis | SC1D | 9/16/2020

Throughout my whole life, I was taught by my parents that stress is one of my

enemies. I should avoid it for it is harmful to my health. But with this 15-minute TED Talk,
I learned three things that changed my whole perspective in "stress."

First, I should think about stress as if my body were preparing me for a challenge.
Based on the study presented by the psychologist Kelly McGonigal, people who viewed
stress as harmful had an increased risk of dying. However, by believing stress as a friend
had a lower chance of getting sick. I had to admit that when I face diverse problems, I start
to panic and not care about the people around me. I was wrong because I made stress
harmful to me. It should not be. Instead, I should face the problem like it is full of joy; and
my body will be ready to face these circumstances.

Second, I should have a friend that will aid me. I am an introvert person. I prefer
studying alone, watching alone, and do things on my own. Thus, when I have dilemmas, I
decide on my own. However, I never knew that the "Oxytocin," the cuddle hormone, is also
released as a stress response. Therefore, I should not face problems alone; but I will find
someone close to me that will help me break the chains away.

Lastly, I should change my mindset in stress. Like I said earlier, "stress" is bad for
my health; therefore, I should minimize the amount of it in my body. But I have learned
that it should be my friend. When I think of it as a benefit, there will be good results.

My whole outlook on stress has changed. With these realizations, I will use "stress"
as a tool for dealing with tasks properly. When I encounter issues, I should trust myself
that I candle the stress that results.