Psychologists call this our “stress mindset” — our belief that stress can debilitate us or enhance us and have positive consequences. (When most people say “stress,” they are usually referring to “distress,” the negative side of stress. “Something I always tell people is often the detrimental thing is not the stress,” Dr Williams said. Researchers are careful to note that just because our stress mindset matters, it doesn’t mean it’s “all that matters,” Dr Crum said. How to shift your stress mindsetHere are steps experts say you can take to shift your stress mindset.