I was inspired at a recent conference I attended and wanted to share some valuable insights with you. I had the pleasure of hearing from Dr. Sonia Lupien, founder of the Centre for Studies on Human Stress (CSHS), which also runs the Mammoth Magazine. Stress, whether at work or home, plays a huge role in our lives and can also impact our financial decisions. As we dive into Financial Literacy Month this November, I wanted to share some of the key takeaways from Dr. Lupien’s motivating presentation and explore some insights from recent Mammoth Magazine articles.

In today's fast-paced world, stress is everywhere— with challenges at work and in our personal lives. One fascinating insight from these articles is the idea of "stress mindsets", or how we view stress can totally change its impact. If we see stress as a challenge instead of a threat, we can perform better and be more resilient. This is especially powerful in high-pressure work environments.
Understanding and managing stress is extremely important. Techniques like cognitive restructuring can help us change how we interpret stressful situations, which directly affects our emotions. For example, reframing "I can't handle this" to "This is a challenge, and I can learn from it” can lead to better stress responses and overall well-being.

Another key idea is the difference between growth and fixed mindsets. Just like with intelligence, we can approach stress with a growth mindset (seeing it as manageable) or a fixed mindset (seeing it as overwhelming). People with a growth mindset tend to view stress as an opportunity to learn and improve, while those with a fixed mindset may be prone to feeling helpless. For instance, someone with a growth mindset would be more likely to say, "I can get better at handling stress," while someone with a fixed mindset might think, "I'm just not good at dealing with stress."

It is important to note that while staying positive is good, the articles warn against "toxic positivity", where we suppress negative emotions. This can lead to long-term negative effects on our mental and physical health. It's important to acknowledge and process all emotions for a healthy balance.
As a Financial Advisor, I know that stress can also lead to impulsive financial decisions and affect long-term planning. By understanding these connections, I can better support clients in making informed, stress-aware financial choices.
This Financial Literacy Month let's commit to enhancing our financial knowledge and understanding the role that stress plays in our lives. Whether it's adopting a growth mindset towards stress, practicing cognitive restructuring, or reflecting on our emotional well-being, small steps can lead to big changes.

I encourage you to explore these themes further and think about how stress influences your financial decisions and overall well-being. Let's use this month to start meaningful conversations about stress and its impact on our lives.
Happy reading, and here's to a more stress-aware and financially literate future!

 

Warm regards,
Perry

 

Resources:

• Centre for Studies on Human Stress:  Home - CESH / CSHS
• Mammoth Magazine Article 26:  Mammoth magazine: Issue 26 – Winter 2023 - CESH / CSHS
• Mammoth Magazine Article 28:  Mammoth magazine: Issue 28 – Fall 2025 - CESH / CSHS