The best use of creativity is imagination. The worst use of creativity is anxiety.
– Deepak Chopra

When asked if using self-affirmations can actually alleviate stress, Carnegie Mellon University professor David Creswell said that they could, depending on the way they are done. “It’s not ‘find ways to say how much I like myself’…It’s more about really identifying, in really concrete ways, the kinds of things about you that you really value.”

Creswell was quoted in a Washington Post article that explains, “The benefits of thinking about important personal values before potentially stressful events are supported by research. Studies have shown that doing simple self-affirming exercises, such as writing about core personal values before a test, raised minority student achievement in school, with some evidence of long-lasting effects.”

In the Exchange Reflections, “Appreciative Inquiry for a More Positive Professional Life,” Ellen M. Drolette explains how a shift from being problem-focused to opportunity-driven can help dissipate stress. Right now early education leaders and other practitioners are facing a multitude of stressful situations.

This Reflections encourages groups to discuss how small shifts in perspective can yield profound results. This could be true for reducing personal stress, making staff meetings more effective, encouraging positive parent interactions, and alleviating challenging classroom dynamics.