In the 1960s medical researchers Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe developed a checklist of stressful events. They appreciated the (1) point that any major change can be stressful. (2) events like "serious illness of a family member" were high (3) but so were some positive life-changing events like marriage. When you (4) the Holmes-Rahe test you must remember that the score does not (5) how you deal with stress—it only shows how much you have to deal with. And we now know that the way you (6) these events dramatically affects your (7) of staying healthy. By the early 1970s hundreds of similar studies had (8) Holmes and Rahe. And millions of Americans who work and live (9) stress worried over the reports. Somehow the research got (10) to a memorable message. Women’s magazines ran (11) like "Stress causes illness". "If you want to stay physically and mentally healthy", the articles said, "avoid stressful events". But such (12) advice is impossible to follow. Even (13) stressful events are dangerous, many—like the death of a loved one—are impossible to (14) . Moreover, any warning to avoid all stressful events is a prescription for staying away from opportunities as well as (15) . Since any change can be stressful, a person who wanted to be completely (16) stress would never marry, have a child, take a new job or move. The notion that all stress makes you sick also (17) a lot of what we know about people. It assumes we’re all vulnerable and (18) in the face of adversity. But what about human (19) and creativity Many come through periods of stress with more physical and mental vigor than they had before. We also know that a long time without change or challenge can (20) to boredom and physical and mental strain.