When I moved to Hong Kong over ten years ago, I worked in corporate banking. My days were long. The pressure was high. And every day, after lunch - without fail - I would sit at my desk, struggling to keep my neck upright and my eyes focused on the screens. Sometimes....(and I feel like I have to write this in really small font because it is so deeply embarrassing....)
There is a very famous TED talk that suggests that stress is only bad for you if you believe it to be so. Now that is a very empowering idea.
And when my kids are nervous about a swim meet or an upcoming spelling test; or when I'm getting ready to speak in front of an audience, I think about this talk and I tell my kids and myself that the butterflies in our stomach, and our heart beating faster -- this is our amazing body getting ready to perform. And that we have to trust that it will perform brilliantly because we've prepared for that moment.
