Dear Kosterina Family,
This month, as we focus on "Down Shift", a stress-free way to shift our outlook on life, we are resurfacing one of our favorite blog posts about changing your mind about stress.
What’s your relationship with stress? It turns out, the way you think about stress can really determine the effect it has on you.
This Ted Talk from 2013 still resonates with our team. A health psychologist and author, Dr. Kelly McGonigal, cites an eight-year longitudinal research study. The research shows that people who perceive stress as harmful, tend to live shorter lives on average as compared to their peers, no matter how much stress they actually experience. Those who did not perceive stress as harmful, lived longer, even if they had experienced more stress. The study proved that people die from the belief that stress is bad for you.
So when you’re stressed, recognize the feeling you’re experiencing as a way of your body showing you that you really care about something. Your body is simply energized and is preparing you to face the task at hand. This shift in mindset isn’t just a nice thing to do - it's literally a major factor in our longevity.
So when I’m anxious thinking about my children’s nutrition and health, I know it’s because I love them more than anything and my body is reminding me how important they are. And when my heart races as I’m getting ready to pitch a new investor, that’s because I really care about building Kosterina into a household name that can touch as many people as possible. We’ve all experienced stress, especially in the last few months - but it's in our ability to change our mind about stress.
We can also learn from the people in the Blue Zones who have down-to-earth methods of reducing stress. Go for a walk, spend time away from your phone, meditate, journal, cook a meal, listen to a podcast, or call a relative or best friend!
Watch Kelly McGonigal’s Ted Talk and please let us know if this mindset shift is helpful for you! Also, if you enjoy our newsletter, please share it with a friend!
Peace, Love & EVOO,
Katina
