Good Stress Bad Stress

Stress is not a four letter word.  Stress is not all bad. 

Good stress challenges me to learn.  Good stress puts me just outside my comfort zone and encourages me to take a leap of faith.  Good stress gets me up in the morning eager to figure out how to solve the logistical problems of the project at hand. 

Bad stress wakes me up at 3 a.m. in a cold sweat with my heart racing so fast I think I might die.  Bad stress makes me grumpy and restless 24/7.  Bad stress impacts my marriage and my relationships with friends.  It makes me helpless because I know I am in over my head. 

Last week, I launched an e-newsletter at my new job. Previously, the newsletter was printed weekly and distributed to about 1000 employees and retirees.  That's a lot of paper!  So, I've been on the job two months and the company has been talking about an e-newsletter for years.  This was my first big challenge in my new position.  I got great feedback and felt so energized and "in the zone" all week.  It was heady and it was stressful.  I learned so much and I earned a healthy paycheck.  Good stress?  Definitely. 

Running my business, Vermont Shortbread Company, had been causing me the other kind of stress for about the past 2 years.  Panic attacks, sleepless nights, physical manifestations of stress such as backaches, gastrointestinal weirdness, and psoriasis flareups to mention a few.  Anxiety has always been my Achilles' heel, but I've learned to manage it in the lifetime I've dealt with it.  But this anxiety was paralyzing and severely impacting my ability to function.  Bad stress. 

So, it's become clear to me that I've made the right choice in going back to conventional employment.  My good stress level is up.  Bad stress is waaaaay down. 

I've also learned that true entrepreneurs are creative folks who figure out how to handle the bad stress in unique ways, by outsourcing tasks, getting coaching or mentoring, or getting financial assistance.  They recognize a sinking ship and let it go or they recognize a sinking ship and hire deckhands.  True creative geniuses figure out ways to turn bad stress into good stress.  I hope to be included in that crowd when it comes to Vermont Shortbread Company.  But, I'm not sure how yet.  It takes money to make money.  I don't have any money right now...which is part of the bad stress for me.    

As an entrepreneur, what are your good stressors and bad stressors?  How have you turned bad stress into good stress? 

Comments

[Anne Witkavitch]

After going from entrepreneur to full-time corporate for about fifteen years, and then recently returing to entrepreneur status, I know what you mean about good stress, bad stress. The most valuable lesson I've learned (though I still struggle at times to put it into action) is that it's my own reaction to stress that can ultimately deem it bad or good, not necessarily the stressor itself.

What I've found most valuable is turning down the volume on the negative self-talk --that little voice inside my head that's on the half-empty side of the glass -- and turning up the volume on the big voice that sees the glass half-full or sometimes even overflowing.

I've also learned to be patient and more forgiving of myself -- and to celebrate my accomplishments no matter how big or small.

[Dina at Wordfeeder.com]

I've found that avoiding people who add to my stress levels is key to keeping bad stress at bay. Let's call them the Debbie Downers of the world... they're like those voices that Anne mentioned, but instead of being in your head, they're coming out of real people - like your relatives!!

I've also found that I'm really not good with change, disorganization, or tons of distractions. Controlling my environment has been key for me. Of course, nobody's perfect, but at least we're all trying!

Glad to hear that your bad stress is finally in check.

[Dina]

Thinking more about this... here's what stresses me out more than anything: having to conform to someone else's schedule. The 9 to 5 thing... I was so happy to leave it, and the farther away I get from it, the more it becomes imminently clear to me that I'm NEVER going back to that.

I was always famous for sleepless nights... thinking "OK, well if it's 3 now, I can sleep for 4 hours and still make it to work by 8:30... OK, well, if it's 5 now, I can have 3 hours, sleep 'til 8 and call in late. Maybe I should leave a message now..."

I'm much happier not having to worry about being on time anymore! Freelancing involves scheduling, sure. But it's different somehow. I just don't feel any pressure this way.

Thanks for listening. :)