Rethinking Stress & Having New Perspectives😌
One video that I have added to my PLN is a TED Talk, How to Make Stress Your Friend, by Kelly McGonigal. In the TED talk, she discusses that the common belief is that stress is always harmful but she challenges that. She presents research that suggests our mindset about stress can have a significant impact on how it affects us. So instead of focusing on eliminating all stress, she talks about framing it as a response that will prepare us for challenges. Having this mentality when it comes to stress can actually improve performance and resilience as well.
What stood out to me is how relevant this perspective can be in professional environments. Most of the time, even in many workplaces, stress is viewed mainly as a negative outcome from things like high expectations or heavy workloads. In the TED talk however, she explains that when individuals view stress as just a signal that something matters, it can enhance the focus and connection. Rather than having the usual feelings that come along with a negative outlook on stress that can be harmful to your health and wellness. This idea also connects to leadership, employee development, and performance improvement.
I wanted to add this video to my PLN because understanding stress is so important for anyone, and can apply to those working in HRD or any sort of organizational development. Instead of only focusing on how to reduce pressure, leaders can help their employees build a healthy response to it. There will always be stress or pressure in one way or another. I could see this video being used for training or development, and starting a conversation to help employees discuss resilience and mindset in the workplace. I think this video is provides a great research based shift in thinking, and it feels realistic and easy for people to understand.
I really enjoyed reading your post and found myself agreeing with a lot of what you shared about Professional Learning Networks. I liked how you explained that teaching is not something we do alone, because that is something I am also starting to realize as I learn more about the profession. Your post helped me think more intentionally about how important it is to stay connected with other educators.
ReplyDeleteWhat stood out to me most was your discussion about isolation in teaching. That part really resonated with me, especially as someone who is preparing to enter the field. It was reassuring to read your perspective on how a PLN can provide support, encouragement, and different viewpoints when things feel overwhelming. I appreciated how you connected that idea to your own growth and future goals.
I also thought the video you included fit your post really well. It helped reinforce what you were saying and made the concept of a PLN feel more realistic and achievable. After reading your post, I feel more motivated to start thinking about what my own PLN might look like and how it can support me as I move forward in my education and career.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI love this perspective on stress! I think that a shift is needed from reducing stress to how to handle it. I don't think it's possible to completely eliminate stress and constantly focusing on how to eliminate it just creates more! I think time would be better spent learning how to build resilience.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your reflection on this talk. Luvvie Ajayi Jones shares such a powerful message about how growth often comes from stepping outside of our comfort zones. I liked how you connected the idea of being pushed out of your “forever” path with eventually finding your purpose. That really shows how uncomfortable moments can lead to new opportunities and personal growth.
ReplyDeleteYour point about learning from failure also stood out to me. It takes courage to take risks and accept that sometimes we have to fall before we figure things out. As Luvvie explains, staying comfortable often keeps things the same, while speaking up and taking chances can create meaningful change.
Overall, I think you did a great job explaining how this talk connects to your personal experiences and your journey toward becoming the best version of yourself.
What stood out to me is how practical this is in professional settings. In a lot of workplaces (and honestly in education and healthcare too), stress is just treated like an inevitable negative side effect of the job. But I agree with you if leaders and teams can reframe stress as preparation and energy rather than danger, it could change how people show up. It doesn’t erase the workload, but it can reduce the “spiral” that happens when people feel overwhelmed and defeated before they even start.
ReplyDeleteI also love that you added this to your PLN because it’s something you could actually use with others. I can totally see this being part of employee development or even student support especially in programs where people are learning high-stakes skills and confidence matters. I’m curious now too: after watching it, what’s one small thing you think you could do differently the next time you’re stressed like one sentence you’d tell yourself or one habit you’d try in the moment?
I really enjoyed your post as well as the video to go along with it. It made me think about stress in a different ways. I always thought stress was just a bad thing, but the idea that it can actually help us perform better is pretty dang cool! Your point about leader's helping employees learn how to handle stress instead of just trying to remove it really stood out to me. Have you ever tried thinking about stress this way during school or work to see if it helps?
ReplyDeleteGreat post, I agree with Kelly, not all stress is a bad thing. Learning to recognize stress and the different mechanisms for dealing with it is very important. We all experience stress in many different forms, but taking the time to recognize it and use it to help us in everyday life is huge.
ReplyDeleteHailey, I was really drawn to your post because of the title. I have recently been working to handle stress because I always correlated it to bad things. I love your blog post and video it was so insightful to preparing us for stressful situations. I think your sentence about leadership helping provide employees with healthier ways to manage stress was a future/forward thinking was an amazing idea. Great job!
ReplyDelete