The Hidden Role of Stress in the Broaden-and-Build Theory

Fiona Roche
Jul 1
2 min read

Updated: Oct 21

Part 2 of my exploration into the power of positive emotions

After writing about the Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions, I've found myself reflecting more deeply on the flip side: stress. Specifically, how stress interacts with our ability to think clearly, build resilience, and grow emotionally.

And it turns out — stress is a key player in this story.

🔒 Stress Narrows Us

When we're stressed, our nervous system responds as if we're under threat. This survival state — like fear or anger — triggers the fight-flight-freeze response. It's not a thinking state; it's a reacting state.

Under stress:

Our focus narrows to immediate problems
Creativity and openness decline
Empathy and perspective-taking shrink
We lose access to our broader awareness

This isn’t a flaw in us — it’s a function of our biology. Stress keeps us safe, but it also limits our capacity to grow in the moment.

🌿 Safety Broadens Us

Now here's where the Broaden-and-Build Theory offers something powerful: it reminds us that we don’t have to live there. When we feel safe, connected, and emotionally uplifted — even for a moment — our nervous system softens. And we shift into what’s called the broaden state.

In this state:

We become more creative, collaborative, and emotionally aware
We access curiosity, compassion, and calm
We start to build inner resources: resilience, trust, emotional regulation, and insight

The very things stress takes away are the things positive emotions help us recover and strengthen.

🔁 Resilience: Built Through Balance

Here’s the beautiful paradox:

Positive emotions help us build the very resilience we need to face stress.
And every time we recover from stress by tapping into calm, joy, or connection — we grow stronger.

This means it’s not about avoiding stress. It’s about cultivating enough moments of emotional safety and positive emotion to balance it.

🛠️ What This Means in Coaching

As a coach, I often meet people in the middle of stress: burnout, big decisions, emotional overload. And while it’s tempting to dive straight into solutions, I’ve learned to slow down first.

We start with emotional safety — breathing, grounding, naming the emotion. Then we begin to build: self-awareness, perspective, clarity.

One moment of positive emotion — even just a genuine laugh or a deep sigh of relief — can shift the entire coaching session. That’s the Broaden-and-Build Theory in action.