Browse
Top articles
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Try free for 7 days.
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Benefits of Mindfulness: Mindful Living Can Change Your Life
Mindfulness 101: A Beginner's Guide
00:00
00:00
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Hey! Welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. Over the last number of days, we've been exploring lots of different strategies to work with stress, to be in relationship to stress, to redirect our attention away from it, to drop into our bodies. Today, we're going to explore something different. How to transform stress into power? And, I'm pulling some ideas from Kelly McGonigal's work, who teaches at Stanford, wrote the book, The Upside of Stress, because I think some of her researching work is groundbreaking. So one of the studies she talks about is, one that tracked 30 adults in the US, for a, 30,000 adults in the US for eight years.
And they asked those people, how much stress have you experienced in the last year? They also asked, do you believe stress is harmful for your health? Then, they looked at the public death records to see who died eight years later or beyond. Now, people who experienced a lot of stress in the previous year had a 43% increased risk of dying, which might not be that surprising. But, that was only true for people who believe that stress was harmful for their health. The people who experienced a lot of stress, but did not view stress as harmful were no more likely to die. The researchers estimated that over those eight years, about 182,000 people in the US died, not from stress, but the belief that stress is bad for you.
Hmm. So notice how that lands for you. For me, the first time I, I heard this, it was radical and I immediately started to assess what is my relationship to stress. I think the message that we're fed from a very early age is that, stress is not good for us. It's killing us.
It's hard a fall. And it's true too, that if we're constantly living in stress and our body is always tense, that is going to have an effect. But when it comes to a lot of the different stressors that, kind of help us achieve our goals or come with just the daily struggles of life, we can shift our relationship to that stress in a way that actually shifts how the stress manifests in our body and whether it leads to health or disease. So my encouragement to you today and over the course of this series and beyond is to explore what actually is your mindset around stress when it arises? Yes, we've worked with making space for it, shifting our attention away from it, dropping it into the body, always to help soften stress. But what would it be like to actually view the stress when it arises as a source of power, to see that this is your body, equipping you, getting you engaged to take on the chair and of the day, to meet the task at hand.
That's a very different perspective than this stress is hurting me or harmful or getting in the way of what I'm trying to do. We want to take a balanced approach because, we don't always want to be in that stressed out state. But I do think there are a lot of circumstances, such as maybe before an athletic event, a talk, or even coming home after a long day of work and navigating needs with our family. To see that stress arise and say, actually, this is serving me to help me meet the challenge at hand, to rise up and to be my best self. So try that out today.
See how that perspective impacts the experience of stress. At least the research shows, it's definitely a much better mindset to take with you. We'll explore some more of this in the meditation. As always, thank you for your practice. I'll talk to you soon and take care.
Transform Stress Into Power
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Duration
Your default time is based on your progress and is changed automatically as you practice.
Hey! Welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. Over the last number of days, we've been exploring lots of different strategies to work with stress, to be in relationship to stress, to redirect our attention away from it, to drop into our bodies. Today, we're going to explore something different. How to transform stress into power? And, I'm pulling some ideas from Kelly McGonigal's work, who teaches at Stanford, wrote the book, The Upside of Stress, because I think some of her researching work is groundbreaking. So one of the studies she talks about is, one that tracked 30 adults in the US, for a, 30,000 adults in the US for eight years.
And they asked those people, how much stress have you experienced in the last year? They also asked, do you believe stress is harmful for your health? Then, they looked at the public death records to see who died eight years later or beyond. Now, people who experienced a lot of stress in the previous year had a 43% increased risk of dying, which might not be that surprising. But, that was only true for people who believe that stress was harmful for their health. The people who experienced a lot of stress, but did not view stress as harmful were no more likely to die. The researchers estimated that over those eight years, about 182,000 people in the US died, not from stress, but the belief that stress is bad for you.
Hmm. So notice how that lands for you. For me, the first time I, I heard this, it was radical and I immediately started to assess what is my relationship to stress. I think the message that we're fed from a very early age is that, stress is not good for us. It's killing us.
It's hard a fall. And it's true too, that if we're constantly living in stress and our body is always tense, that is going to have an effect. But when it comes to a lot of the different stressors that, kind of help us achieve our goals or come with just the daily struggles of life, we can shift our relationship to that stress in a way that actually shifts how the stress manifests in our body and whether it leads to health or disease. So my encouragement to you today and over the course of this series and beyond is to explore what actually is your mindset around stress when it arises? Yes, we've worked with making space for it, shifting our attention away from it, dropping it into the body, always to help soften stress. But what would it be like to actually view the stress when it arises as a source of power, to see that this is your body, equipping you, getting you engaged to take on the chair and of the day, to meet the task at hand.
That's a very different perspective than this stress is hurting me or harmful or getting in the way of what I'm trying to do. We want to take a balanced approach because, we don't always want to be in that stressed out state. But I do think there are a lot of circumstances, such as maybe before an athletic event, a talk, or even coming home after a long day of work and navigating needs with our family. To see that stress arise and say, actually, this is serving me to help me meet the challenge at hand, to rise up and to be my best self. So try that out today.
See how that perspective impacts the experience of stress. At least the research shows, it's definitely a much better mindset to take with you. We'll explore some more of this in the meditation. As always, thank you for your practice. I'll talk to you soon and take care.
Duration
Play in-app
Scan the following QR code with your camera app to open it on our mobile app
Get Unlimited Access
A Mindfulness Plus+ subscription gives you unlimited access to a world of premium mindfulness content.
Email Missing
We couldn’t detect your email with the SSO provider you have selected.We are here to make a positive impact on the world. We never want to sell you something that hasn’t helped you live a better life. That’s why if you’re unhappy with any purchase from us, you have 30 days to get a full refund and your money back.
If you subscribed to Mindfulness Plus+ and are unhappy with your purchase, please get in contact with us within the 30-day period and we’ll refund your purchase.
Learn more about our Mindfulness Guarantee.
Mindfulness
We believe in a world where everybody has access to the life-changing skills of mindfulness.
Private Browsing
We believe in a world where everybody has access to the life-changing skills of mindfulness.
Annual membership
$0
This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
Thank you for joining us
Dive into the full library and enjoy all it has to offer!
Claim your free access
Create a mindfulness account and we’ll unlock this premium session in your account forever.
7-Days free trial, cancel anytime.
Complete a few quick questions to make your own personalized mindfulness plan.
Sign up or login to your mindfulness account to proceed.
Sign up or login to your mindfulness account to proceed.
Mindfulness
One membership to gain access to a world of premium mindfulness content created to help you live happier and stress less.