We are so used to thinking of stress only in a negative context: words such as “overwhelmed,” “stressed out,” or “anxious” come to mind. However, stress is neither inherently good nor inherently bad. In fact, it is how you deal with stress that determines whether it is positive or negative.

The fact is, if you are alive, you will experience stress. If you leave your house in the morning, have a job, nurture meaningful relationships, aspire to be creative, or have a family, you will inevitably go through stressful periods. Yet most would acknowledge that these elements of life are worth the stress.

Here are a few ways that stress can be a positive thing in your life:

1. It propels you to get practical things accomplished.
You wake up with a nagging feeling that you have not done the dishes for a few days. This thought is stressful, but it galvanizes you into washing the dishes and clearing out your kitchen. When you are finished, the cleanliness and organization of your kitchen gives you a sense of accomplishment and calm. Whichever way you look at it, stress was involved in a positive outcome.

2. It can help clear your head.
You did not get much sleep last night, but you have a huge and important presentation this morning. It is stressful, and you can feel the adrenaline. The adrenaline (part of the stress response) gives you a clear head to focus and speak in public for an extended period of time. If you had been 100% relaxed, you may not have performed as well.

(Granted, if you are unprepared for a presentation, or if you have a specific phobia of public speaking, this might cause additional stress and create foggy thinking. Remember that the key is keeping stress from getting too overwhelming and inhibiting your performance.)

3. It protects you (literally!)
From a biological standpoint, we are programmed to remove ourselves from life-threatening situations (ie. fight-or-flight response). Imagine walk out into a busy street into oncoming traffic; stress should induce you to move out of harm’s way.

In a less life-threatening context, negative feelings (or stress) sometimes inform you that a change should be made. For example, if you are unhappy with your living situation, stress may motivate you to look for new roommates when the opportunity arrives.

4. It gives you energy.
Imagine if an athlete felt no stress before a big game; he or she probably would not perform as well (you can see this when an excellent team loses against a team with a poor track record; they thought that the win was a given and therefore did not feel enough healthy “stress”).

It is important to be as positive as you can when you get stressed to utilize the energy it affords. If you are stressed for a first date or a job interview, remember that it is a good thing. You have the opportunity to meet a new love interest, or to potentially find a new job. Try to use the stress to your advantage not by disregarding it, but by having a positive attitude.

5. It makes you more creative.
Any artist will tell you that he or she thrives on a certain amount of stress (often referred to as artistic tension). And creativity does not just pertain to painting or writing fiction. For example, creativity is involved when you are trying to find a new solution to a problem. Use the energy that comes from stress and tension as an opportunity to fuel your creativity.