Stress. We just can’t stop talking about it. And unfortunately, it’s inevitable. In fact, the World Health Organization calls stress the "health epidemic of the 21st century."
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But here’s the twist: Stress can actually work in your favor. In this article, we’ll dive into stress and its various forms, exploring how to leverage High CQ (Communication Quotient™) to transform the emotion into a powerful ally.

Good stress, bad stress

^{Eustress: the good kind of stress}‍
Think of the excitement you feel when you take on a new challenge or achieve a key goal - whether that’s training for a marathon or starting a new job. It’s tough, but manageable. And ultimately feels really rewarding. That’s eustress. Research shows that while acute stress triggers life-saving reactions, humans also have the ability to channel a lighter stress into growth, leveraging it to thrive (Sapolsky, 2004). When seen positively and experienced in short bursts, stress can boost cognitive performance (Shields et al., 2019). Eustress helps us stretch our limits in a healthy way.
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^{Distress: the harmful kind of stress}
‍Distress is the type of stress we’re more familiar with at work, perhaps. Distress occurs when we’re overwhelmed by pressures we feel unequipped to handle them. This type of stress can lead to a whole host of mental and physical health issues, if left unchecked. Research from the Journal of American Medical Association highlights that prolonged stress can even eventually impair cognitive functions; hence the importance of stress management.

The neuropsychology of stress: the window of tolerance

Let’s get scientific for a moment. In neuropsychology, Dr. Dan Siegel’s window of tolerance refers to the optimal zone in which stress is manageable. Within this window, we remain balanced, alert, and capable of handling challenges without feeling overwhelmed. When stress takes over, we experience hyperarousal (anxiety, panic) or hypoarousal (numbness, shutdown). To flip distress into eustress, we must prioritize cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, and informed decision-making (Ogden and Minton, 2000).

Transforming distress into eustress with CQ

The first step to activating eustress is regulating our emotional responses. High CQ teaches us to regulate our knee-jerk reactions: to pause, take a breath, and respond thoughtfully. Emotional regulation has been linked to better psychological wellbeing (Gross and John, 2003).  Since that's the case, what CQ tactics can help us keep the stress pot from boiling over?

• Name it to tame it. Research by Lieberman et al. (2007) shows that labeling emotions activates the prefrontal cortex and reduces activity in the amygdala, which calms the stress response. When you’re overwhelmed, take a moment to put a name to it - “I am feeling anxious about this deadline” - and watch as your mind starts to re-regulate itself.
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• Body scan reset. Conduct a quick body scan when you feel tension rising. Start from your toes and move upwards, noticing any areas of tightness. Gently release these tensions as you go. Studies have shown that body scans reduce physiological stress markers and enhance emotional regulation (Kabat-Zinn, 1990).
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• Practice breathing with intent. Try paced breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds) while mentally repeating a calming word such as “steady” or “focus.” This engages the vagus nerve, keeping you calm and in control (Porges, 2009).‍