If we could measure your stress, where would you land? Red? Yellow? Green? Zero stress is bad. Tons of stress is hurts. Somewhere in between is a “green zone” where stress empowers us. We feel renewal, connection, or strength after a stressful event. But, we will drift outside of that green zone. It's normal. So, how can we get back into the green easily and quickly? Here's the fastest path I know of today: choose to respond to the stress in a helpful way. Example: work, family, life is overfilling my calendar. No sweat, I'm learning how to prioritize. Example: someone is short, rude, yelling at me. Alrighty, I might be a person they can trust to vent in that moment. (important: this isn't being a doormat, rather it might be a mental fitness test to expand boundaries) Example: money is tight, but a surprise expense popped up (car repair, medical bill). OK, whew, I can figure this out... there is always a way through these situations. Choosing to respond to stress in a helpful way is the first New Skill for Stress. I call it The Meaning Cheat Sheet. This skill is about choosing a new belief about the stressful event, feeling, situation. It's not an "easy out." It's not a half-truth. To get back into the green zone of stress, I choose to replace an unhelpful belief with a new, useful belief. Question: What is one stressful event, feeling, or situation pushing you into yellow or red stress right now that could use a new meaning?