Why is it that some people exude stress while others in a similar circumstance are calm, optimistic, and even cheerful? Whether it’s a big project, a standardized test, or a looming college admissions deadline, stress makes it harder to produce great work and impossible to enjoy the ride. And the relaxed folks often seem to have better outcomes than those who worried throughout.
Seth Godin’s recent post argues that people get to make the choice how to feel in stressful situations, that even when you can’t change the circumstance, you can change your feeling about it.
Cynics (particularly those who are stressed) may dismiss that as new-age hooey. After all, Godin’s a blogger and a marketing author, not a psychologist.
But psychologists agree, as you can read in past posts here and here.
Yes, there are some tragic circumstances that you simply cannot view with a rose-colored lens, but the college admissions process isn’t one of them. So make the decision to enjoy it. You won’t just change your feelings; you might even change the outcomes, too.