It all happened in 2004. The first time I had ever felt a complete loss of power over my body. I was brushing my teeth and felt like I couldn’t move my lips freely. I could move them, but it required concentration and even then the right side didn’t want to cooperate as the left side did. I wasn’t alarmed by this initially, but by the afternoon, I noticed that I couldn’t move the right half of my lips at all. My initial thought is that I had gotten bitten by a spider…I couldn’t liken the experience to anything else. Well, it wasn’t a spider…but I surely got a nice bite – by Stress.
I didn’t realize that what I was experiencing, but later in the day it was clear that I had lost the ability to
move the right side of my face. By the following morning my symptoms had worsened…I couldn’t blink my right eye, my smile only extended on my left side and my eye watered non-stop. The right side of my face had been left lifeless.
On day two my concerns heightened. I created an in-depth research project and found that my symptoms mimicked, almost exactly, to the symptoms of Bells Palsy.
Wow – Stress Literally Paralyzed me
Here I was, only 23 years old, in good physical shape and full of energy. On the outset I looked and acted fine, but as I dug within I found the source…it was stress. It all came down not taking care of myself the way I should have been.
During this period of time I had just moved from Colorado to California (original home state) and was faced with a handful of challenges that I didn’t handle very well. For one, I had a job lined up that fell through, my family situation changed; my wife had to go back to work and not stay home with our daughter (only had one kid back then) and I realized that I was homesick…even though the Bay Area was my home; Colorado had taken its place in my heart. All this stuff seems pretty simple – and sure, it was…but that tells you how forceful stress can come in and take over…while you “think” you’re dealing with something simple – stress can sneak in disguised in the clothing of simplicity…and when it hits; IT HITS HARD!
It Felt Like…
Physically, you couldn’t really tell that I was experiencing the issue until I spoke in an expressive manner. Personally, I could see some slight swelling in the right side of my face, but not enough for anyone else to tell. My right eye watered constantly because I couldn’t make it blink. If you’ve ever had your mouth numbed for dental work…that’s the closes thing I can compare the overall feeling too. My face felt heavy, kind of like one side was connected to weights. I felt exactly like the “distorted dramatization” picture above. To top it all off, I developed an aura of insecurity when speaking to people, which I had never experienced prior.
What I Learned…
This provided me with an excellent lesson in humility. Who can’t learn a valuable lesson in humility? We all can – I just hope that next time the universe throws that lesson my way, it’s via a common house cold or scraped knee!
I also learned how human I was (am). I learned that the dreaded “IT” could happen to me. At one time or another, I think we all get caught up in the “it will never happen to me” false thinking…well something like this experience will quickly put you in a humbled state.
and of course…
I learned a great lesson in what happens when you don’t take care of yourself. Stress will win, if you let it…I learned that it does no good to act as if it’s not there; a positive thought stating that it’s not there will lead to a stress victory…that’s stress’s victory, not yours. It MUST be dealt with – or, it will force you to deal with it the hard way – like me!
I learned that stress can and will paralyze you if you let it. Stress is silent; it sneaks in your body through gaps created by untreated worry and bitterness (amongst other things). It’s natural to worry. It’s natural to be bitter at times. But it’s also natural to treat those areas. When the unnatural occurs (not treating yourself), then gaping holes open and stress penetrates.
How to Spot Stress
I dare not make an attempt at telling you how to treat stress. I’ve lived through its disaster and I know how serious it is. Stress seeps in us through different inlets. These inlets can range from poor self-image, finances, losing loved one, etc. With the vast degree of penetration methods that stress encompasses, I couldn’t begin to tell you what to do.
What I will provide are some ways spot stress creeping in. While this doesn’t offer a “fix”, it sure does give you some weight in the battle. Being able feel its penetration will provide you with at least some amo in the fight.
I won’t say that these are “must do’s”…I will call them must try’s…I don’t think you’ll be let down:
- Take care of your body. Taking care of your body inspires you to learn a lot about your body. When you exercise often and eat decently, you can feel the onset of illness and stress days before its infestation consumes you. The early warning can provide you with a buffer period to analyze your situation and do what you need to combat a stress takeover.
- Respect your body and mind. Hey, I’m all for people doing whatever they want as long as it doesn’t affect anyone else’s ability to experience the goodness of this earth. However, minimizing alcohol consumption, smoking and eating poorly can pay you dividends. I don’t drink or smoke – and still I was bombarded, beat up, and paralyzed by stress.
- Slow down. This one is hard for a hustler. But slow down; listen to the tune that your body plays. If it sounds off beat – don’t just change your dance – get YOUR rhythm back.
- Keep a support system. Sounds corny and cliché, but we can’t always sense things about ourselves because we’re too close to the source. A perspective from afar can quickly recognize that something isn’t right. Keep your relationships in a place where your friends and family have the comfort and acceptance to point out unfavorable dispositions that you may display. These could be stress baring red flags.
- Checkout the community contributions below:
- Learn to say no. Sometimes extending yourself for others creates added space for you. In these situations you have to learn to say NO. by Dandy
- Realize that life is not a competition. Always trying to keep up with others will surely allow the onset into your body. by Jennifer Barry
- Get good sleep. If it becomes evident that you can’t sleep through the night, then stress may be setting in. by Alex Blackwell
- Meditate. Meditation offers a “new” view into your body and mind and wills certainly help you spot stress vulnerability. by Ryan Biddulph
- Prayer. Praying and asking for strength to endure the worries of life. by Elmer Querubin
- Meditation. Meditation puts everything in perspective and allows us to sail very smoothly through life. by Andrea DeBell
- Headaches. When you begin to experience an influx of headaches, this is a sure sign that stress may be creeping in. by Ayo
- Mood Swings. When we get sensitive and defensive to offers of help from family and friends – we’re in trouble. by Rosemary
- Identity Crisis. If When we stray too far from our center, the mind, body and spirit shifts out of balance. by Evelyn
- Don’t take things so seriously. Live in Balance. LAUGH! If you find that laughter is hard to come by…stress is doing its work within you. by Marlee Ward
- Ask yourself a simple question. What’s the worst result that can happen from this moment? A question like this can quickly deescalate overreaction…but when you find that your answers rarely deescalate – stress maybe in your presence. by Marcus Sheridan
- Relax and calm your mind. This will give you the mental platform to assess your current situation and identify possible points of stress penetration. How to relax and calm your mind…prayer. by Dia
- Take a self-evaluation. Ask yourself if it’s really worth it…is it worth losing sleep? Is it worth shaving years off of your life? Is it worth losing your family or destroying important relationships? If it’s not building the kingdom, put it to rest. by Frank
- Release the Tension. If a punching bag doesn’t help release some of the tension that you have…stress may be doing it’s work. by Jonathan Figaro
- Physical Activity. Be active to help sense the onset on stress. by Alex Neill
- Take the Simple Approach. Let it go! by John Sherry
- Do it for others too. Be motivated to identify stress because not doing so can take you away from what you love the most and who those that depend on you. by Tito Philips Jnr
- Listen to music. If your favorite sound doesn’t cheer you up, you maybe under the spell of stress. by Ruzcarmen
- Take a break. This offers a perfect situation to sit back and assess our situation. by Ishan
- Primitive perspective. Ask yourself if anyone was hurt or killed from a situation that may cause you stress. by Jason
- Get some sun. The intake of the most pure form of vitamin D will surely provide an influx of positivity for your health. Stress hates vitamins! by Rick
- Stay in balance. Utilize a journal to flush things out on paper. This can help you identify if ‘things’ are balanced in your life. If not…stress my tugging at you. by David
- Utilize careful contemplation. Take a calm approach in analyzing situations to avoid jumping to incorrect conclusions. by Michael Pedzotti
None of these bullets are full proof plans. But, I tell you that these items will surely increase the odds of you spotting the onset of stress in your system.
The Conclusion: I Got My Smile Back
The Bells Palsy lasted for about a week. At day four, after completely changing my diet and drinking gallons of water, exercising and taking powerful dosages of vitamin B, I was cured. I made a 99% recovery. It’s hardly noticeable, but I have a very slight droop in my right eye (I consider that the 1%, but I have 100% muscle control). My wife can’t even tell – it’s that minute.
Some people don’t recover fully AND – I’m not in clear water either. People who get Bells Palsy once are more susceptible to getting it again…and the second occurring tends to come with much lower odds of full recovery.
I honestly don’t focus on getting it again. I focus on being happy as I can. I try to do things that I enjoy as often as I can, and try my best to practice the bullets shared above. It does pop into my head from time to time when I feel stress creeping in…but now I use that feeling as an alarm to slow down and try to take things easy.
I’m a laid back guy; mellow tempered, I take feedback seriously and criticism as lightly as possible. My mood tends to be of the better because I’m joyful for my blessings. HOWEVER: Stress will fester wherever the gaping holes exist. You may think you have it all figured out – but your “thought” doesn’t matter. You’re reality matters. You have to take care of yourself…then you can think all you want.
YOU’VE BEEN WARNED…DON’T LET STRESS PARALYZE YOU…OR EVEN WORSE.
DISCUSSION: have you identified any ways to spot stress early that I can add to the list above? Do you have any stress related battles that you’ve faced? I ask these questions because your input just may be a point of inspiration to someone.
{ 63 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Jk,
Thanks for sharing your story. The message is crucial. Often we think stress is just stress, but it can affect our health detrimentally. Your tips are exactly right. They can indeed help relieve the weight we carry on our shoulders. I get migranes from stress. Even though it’s hard, I have to manage my stress to avoid them. Sometimes that means saying no when someone asks for my time. Sometimes it’s not going out with friends when I’m dead on my feet and need sleep. But taking care of our health has to be a top priority. We need to take it seriously that stress can manifest itself physically. I’m so glad you’re ok and have learned to take care of the stress that is hard to avoid. Thanks Jk! Take care!
Dandy recently posted..Cognitive Distortions- Win against it
Hi Dandy – Too bad I had to learn this lesson the hard way…but a lesson learned turns out to be a lesson learned. This very lessons has heightened my sensitivity to how my body and mind feels. I love the tip you offered – learn to say know…I added it!
Wow Jk, this was quite a wake-up call! I’m glad you mostly recovered from the paralysis. At least in the US, I find it’s considered normal to live under a high level of constant stress. Everyone reacts to this differently and in their own time. For me, I tend to get mono when I work too hard and ignore when my body says to stop. Some people seem fine until they drop dead of a heart attack.
I don’t have any special tip rather than realizing that life is not a competition or a race. Like your mom probably told you, you don’t have to do something just because all your friends are.
Jennifer Barry recently posted..Stranger in His Own Land- Part 11
Hi Jennifer – Thanks for the tip…”life is not a competition or race. Just because someone is doing something doesn’t mean we have to do the same” (added it).
I would say I’m that I’m fully recovered from the paralysis – I can move my entire face equally!It was a scary short and scary bout! Thank for your insight.
The first indicator of stress for me is not sleeping through the night.
When I begin waking up at 2: 30 and then 3 and then again at 3:30 a.m. I know something is brewing inside. The next morning I survey what’s happening in my life to find the root cause.
Once the cause of the stress is identified I go to work trying to get it resolved.
You are so right Jk, stress can paralyze. Finding our smile is a much better option.
Alex
Thanks for including your tip Alex (added it). I agree, that if sleep isn’t right – something just may be wrong! Thank you.
Hi Jk,
Thanks for sharing your powerful story.
Stress can kill you. Stress can cause financial turmoil in your life. It can kill relationships.
I meditate the hour, every hour now to help handle stress. No exceptions. I simply sit for 10 minutes and watch. Amazing exercise I strongly recommend. You get to watch all the whacky stuff going on in your mind and can release the stress-building negative emotions. If you can’t do it on the hour due to your job try it every 2-3 hours.
Thanks again for sharing and enjoy your weekend.
RB
Ryan Biddulph recently posted..Why Be a Clown – Work Less Hours to Supercharge Your Home Based Opportunity
Hey Ryan – wow, meditate every hour. I’m sure that helps big time. I surely couldn’t that with my lifestyle – but I always have enough time to meditate at least once! Thanks for sharing – I added it to the list. Enjoy your weekend as well.
A good friend of mine had Bells Palsy a couple of years ago. He was in the military and got into some trouble which caused an involuntary exit from his service to his country. He was a good man, but he got involved with the wrong people and the wrong activities. Luckily, he was able to leave with an Honorable Discharge.
During this time of stress we did three things:
1. We prayed to Jesus – Praying to him released his anxiety’s and produced a repentant attitude.
2. We hoped for a better future – I helped him look for other possibilities other than serving his country. He is now going to school to become a licensed Physical Therapist.
3. We met regularly for support – Stress is like a poison. If you keep it in you, it can kill you. Talking about your fears, doubts, and inadequacies with positive, encouraging, and truthful friends helps releases some of the stresses we have.
I hope you fully recovered from Bells Palsy. My friend is fully recovered, which is rare when you have this condition.
Excellent post, JK. Thanks for being so honest!
Elmer
Hey Elmer – Thanks for sharing your story of your friend, and the activity that you went on to help cure his situation. I’ve added Prayer to the list.
Oh yes, I fully recovered within a week. It was weird when I started to regain the life back into my face it came with these electric pulse feelings. It would do it all over my face. it felt unnatural, but I know what was happening – it was healing. It was the first and only time that I felt healing happen.
Thank you for this inclusion into the conversation. You’re a good man Elmer. Thank you
Hi JK! It always amazed me many ways in which stress can debilitate us. I’m like Alex, if I’m stressed I start to wake up very early. My tip for combating stress is meditation. Keeping a regular practice of meditation puts everything in perspective and allows us to sail very smoothly through life. I also love your “slow down” tip which is much needed considering the busy lives that most of us lead.
Thanks for these great tips. Loving blessings!
Andrea DeBell – britetalk recently posted..Grow the Seeds of Your Desires
Hi Andrea – thanks for adding value by including meditation (added it to the list). I think it’s an important “thing” for us to do. I admit that I often let it pass me by, but I certainly need to become more proficient. peace.
> Stress will win, if you let it
I like the way you turned stress into an enemy that you can defeat, if you respect it’s powers.
J.D. Meier recently posted..Get the System on Your Side
J.D. – it was an enemy for sure. It’s power had to be respected after it took hold of me. Now I know what it’s capable of.
Oh man, I’m sorry to hear about all this Jk, I had no idea. It’s amazing that a young and healthy 23 year old can suffer like that, but its possible.
I can’t possibly relate to Bells Palsy, as I’ve been very lucky with illnesses, but I remember having a severe panic attack when I was 19. I was meant to be meeting up with this girl (my potential first girlfriend) but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I built it up in my mind until I freaked out, eventually catching a taxi back home.
For the next few days, I couldn’t even go outside, I was that traumatised. The first time I went out after the attack, was to play pool with a couple of friends, but even then I left early because it got too much for me to bear.
I’m a different person now, and I love life so much. But I know I never want a panic attack again, and at least there, I can relate to you my friend
Stuart recently posted..How To See The World
Stuart – there’s way worse out there that happens. My bout was only in and out in 1 week with basically no lasting effects. So I was pretty fortunate to learn the lesson the hard way, and still fully recover.
I’m one of those lucky one’s that rarely gets sick too Stuart. But just like you – when stress grabs us, it can paralyze – me with Bells Palsy for a week and you with a panic attack. Thank you for sharing your story. Peace.
hello jk
how are you?
i am glad you got your smile back and sincerely this is a wake up call for me wow!!. i spot the signs of being stressed once i start having fluctuating headaches and then i remind myself of the importance of relaxing and calming down. juggling so many things here and there at times triggers it but there are daily routines i perform each day in order to relax.
take care of yourself and enjoy the rest of the day
Hey Ayo – I’m glad this served as a wake up call for you. It’s always better to learn the easy way (wake up calls) rather than the hard way – paralysis! It was a good lesson and I was very fortunate that it was temporary. Thanks for adding your tip (I added it to the list). peace.
Hi JK,
This is one of the most important posts I’ve ever seen. Seriously, by telling your story and helping your readers to recognise the signs I have no doubt that you will provide a wake up call to someone, somewhere out there who will read this simply because they are ‘meant’ to. Stress is a killer. It killed my father at 42 years of age from a major heart attack. I know from my own experiences what it can do to our health as I wrote about in my last post. I think one of the signs to watch out for is finding yourself being ultra sensitive and defensive to offers of help from family and friends which you might read as criticism or judgmentalism in your state of vulnerability. Another thing is waking up in the middle of the night to the torture of voices in your head accusing you of being a failure and a loser and reminding you of all the things you haven’t done or achieved. Thanks for your honesty and vision as always Jk.
Hi Rosemary – sorry to hear about what happened to your father at such a young age. I know you know much about stress and it’s power from you own experience. After reading your post – I really dug deep to identify something that I could share. You would think that the Bells Palsy sits on the tip of my head – but it doesn’t. I had to sit and think of a good lesson that I could share. And eventually the paralysis came up. Think what you said about “Mood” is a great tip. When we get sensitive and defensive to offers of help from family and friends – we’re in trouble (added it to the list)! Thank you for the value and great comment!
Also, thanks for calling this “one of the most important posts I’ve ever seen”! It is certainly one of the most important posts I’ve ever written.
Hi JK,
The body takes care of itself. I am glad to know that by changing your diet the Bells Palsy pretty much reversed itself. Just a few simple changes in the diet can make a world of difference in our bodies.
Another good thing that one should do to deal with stress is to never leave your center or your grounding. Always come home to the core / essence of your being/who you are. When we stray too far from our center, the mind, body and spirit shifts out of balance.
Awesome story and glad this was shared.
Blessings,
Evelyn
Evelyn recently posted..You Don’t Have to Stay Fat
Hi Evelyn – welcome to Hustlers Notebook!
Yes – diet makes a lot of difference. It really does.
I agree, when we lose touch with our identity and forget who we are, and what we stand for – it’s likely a sign of stress taking over somewhere (added it to the list)…thanks for the comment and tip. peace!
Jk!
I’m so glad you shared this post because it demonstrates the fact that stress really can just creep up on you. Personally, I have a very high threshold for managing stress – ironically it makes it very easy for me to become stressed out and not even realized that is what is going on with me. Ultimately, I’ve learned to have a higher level of awareness about where I’m at, and I’ve learned to force myself to implement many of those aforementioned remedies for stress management. Even if I don’t “feel” stressed, if I’ve got a lot on m plate – it’s likely I am stressed, so to prevent a breakdown, I do things like exercise, pray, serve others, rest, and one that I would like to add – laugh!
Laughter is sometime the BEST healer in life. Don’t take things so seriously. Make fun of yourself, have fun with others, and seek a symphony of laughter.
Marlee recently posted..A Yoga Inspired Online Business Tip for Women Entrepreneurs
Hi Marlee – I think we have that in common – the high threshold. So, when things get bad enough – I can tend to ignore what my body is telling me. I like what you said about living in balance: “exercise, pray, serve others, rest, and LAUGH”. Don’t be so serious!
I’m going to add this to this list!
Thank you for including your thoughtful comment. Writing this post made me take a deep look at how important the management and identification of stress is. This all happened over six years ago – but it was a lesson that I had to learn the hard way – so it sticks with me. I continue to be a student – so I know more lessons are to come – I just hope not as harsh…but if they do, I’ll try my best to handle them as good as I can. Keep keep’n it real! Peace.
JK my man, this was one heck of a story man. You’d given me a preview on my blog the other day but wow, I was blown away by this. Unbelievable the power stress can have on one’s physical well being as it did with you. You know how I feel about personal experiences, and this was your most grabbing post to date in my opinion, as I was just dying to find out how it all ended up for you.
But I’m glad you’re better. And I’m really glad you’re so on top of things at this point in your life. Personally, when I get really, really stressed out (among those things mentioned above) I ask myself one simple question:
What’s the worst result that can happen from this moment? Sometimes, if you look at it that way, the worse result ain’t so bad, and so you just accept it and move on, letting fate do its thing.
Anyway, you’re the best JK. Appreciate what you represent my friend.
Marcus
Marcus Sheridan-The Sales Lion recently posted..Financial Tragedies and Triumphs- A Personal Story from The Sales Lion
Thank you for the terrific comment Marcus. Thanks for the encouraging words. I’m trying to step my game up, which requires me to share personal experiences. Like everyone else – I have plenty to share. So to hear that it’s “grabbing”, means a lot. Thank you.
Your simple question should be a prerequisite in any arena. Because when you ask that question, it always lines the situation into a matter of perspective. Thanks for sharing (added it to the list).
Hi JK,
This is a powerful story my friend. We all go through stress, worry, and anxiety in our life. The key is to not let it affect us emotionally. Taking care of our health is crucial my friend. One of the best things that I personally like to do is exercise every morning for one hour. I have to streatch and do alignment exercises. If I don’t, I feel all the stress in me.
I also like you don’t smoke nor drink as I think these can harm our health…
One of the best ways to overcome stress and worry is by praying my friend. Praying to God relaxes us and helps us to calm our minds and clear our thoughts.
Thanks JK for this awesome post my friend
Dia recently posted..How to deal with emotional abuse
Dia – thanks for the reinforcement of ways to manage the onset of stress. It’s an important thing to have some knowledge of – because if we can’t identify it’s pressence, it can/will paralyze us – or even worse.
I’ve added “Relax and calm your mind with Prayer” to the list. Thanks for the addition! Peace.
Hey Jk,
Thanks for sharing your story!
It’s shocking that it could happen to a young healthy person, but you really never know what could happen to you. I didn’t know stress could have that type of affect on your body to give you a panic attack. That is crazy man, stress really is worse on your body than I ever thought.
I’m glad you were able to share your story with your community and help as many people as possible not fall under the same spell. I hope I never stress myself out to the point where I have a heart attack or panic attack. That is scary to even think about.
Thanks for the signs, and I’ll be sure to keep them in mind!
Wish you the best.
God bless,
William Veasley
William Tha Great recently posted..Learning the Meaning of Progression
Hey William – I’m glad that you viewed this, because it’s a great lesson on what can happen if we don’t take care of ourself. I was lucky in returning back into my original state – but I actually know people who weren’t so lucky. There’s a lady who works in my office and on her face is the evident display of a dreadful bout with Bells Palsy.
Thanks for the comment and continued support. Keeping being Great!
Hey Jk
Thanks for the Response!
I’m glad I read your article too. I am always happy to read your work my man that’s because I really enjoy what your doing here. Everyday you remind me of how happy I am I found hustlers notebook!
This was a great read for me because I was starting to over stress myself with focing myself to stay up and work without sleeping. I was making me weak I could feel it in my muscles. I wasn’t in any pain, but I was starting to wake up when I did sleep without energy, because the sleep wasn’t enough to recharge my body from all the hours deprived of sleep.
Now I have chosen to develop and I’m catching up on my sleep and can feel myself gaining my overall energy back! So that’s a good note.
Thanks again!
God bless,
William Veasley
William Tha Great recently posted..Make Money- don’t Let It Make You!
Jk,
That is a powerful real life example of what stress can do to you. I am glad to know that you have fully recovered and sounds like learned from this experience. Stress management is key to a long and properous life. I think my favorite tip is: Realize life is not a competition by Jennifer.
I won’t go on a spill of what the challenges others face but I will be honest and say this is a big one for me. I often have tried time and time again to compare my sucess to the sucess of others. It was not until someone I truly respect brought it to my attention to learn to be abase and abound. Meaning be grateful for whatever you have rather it is a lot or a little. If I have everything I should be humble that I have been trusted with much. If I only have a little I should be grateful to be taught how to survive with less.
In the grand scheme of things I am to the point where I ask myself is it really worth it. Is it worth losing sleep. Is it worth shaving years off of my life. Is it worth losing my family or destroying important relationships. If it’s not building the kingdom, I put it to rest.
This was a life changing post and I can’t wait to check back to see all the other tips to be added. I learned from the weight of your stress and I vow to do everything in my power to take control of my stress level from this day forward.
Frank recently posted..Be Part of the Solution
Hey Frank-
Thank you for the great comment. I think what you added here is wonderful and essential for everyone to check out. I added your tip to the list – on how you deal with stress by asking yourself some real/simple questions.
I’m glad I fully recovered too! It was a scare…but one that came with a powerful lesson. It could have been a heart attack – so I’ll take the temporary paralysis anyday over that. The lesson is, however, that it can come in any shape or form, and lead to far worse things than what I shared.
I’d love to chat with you more about the Abase and Abound – and learn more about the ends and outs from your introduction to it.
peace.
Dude your a wizard with the Photoshop. Hilarious! There is a lot of passion in your post and I can dig it. It’s true that we should never let stress take over our lives or we become angry or depressed. One things leads to another and where yelling at our children and curing at our spouses. It’s best to use the tactics you’ve presented. meditation, prayer or even a good punching bag to release the stress.. God bless bro..have a great Monday!
jonathanfigaro recently posted..Two Mind Blowing Laws You Need To Follow
Ha ha – you like that photoshop chop-up! I have a lot of fun on that program. It allows me to express my creative side. You do it through your writing!
Thanks for the Punching Bad addition. I like that. I added it to the list!
By the way, it was a crazy Monday! peace.
Hey JK
You must have been terrified when that happens.
I have to admit I sometimes feel invicible, like nothing bad will ever happen to me even though I know deep down I do not treat my body very well.
Your post is a timely reminder for me to take it easy and slow down sometimes.
The only way I get over stress is swimming, it feel it helps me go over things clearly in my head and I do feel invigorated after it.
Glad you recovered,
Alex.
Alex Neill recently posted..Monetize Your Blog And Get Free Targeted Traffic – Part 2
Hello Alex – welcome to Hustlers Notebook. I appreciate you stopping by and going above and beyond by leaving the great comment.
Yes – you better believe I was scared. More so, I was confused…like “why me”.
Turns out I think I just needed to learn a little bit. Looking back, what I was dealing with wasn’t that rough. But I think it was a prep for me to deal with more in the right way – as I try to do today!
I really appreciate you stopping by Alex. And I was honored to add: Physical Activity – be active to help sense the onset on stress. Thank you! peace.
Stress kills people, dreams, relationships, and futures. It isn’t worth losing much to hold onto something worth so little. Today’s worry and fear is tomorrow’s story you’ll think silly – if you have a tomorrow that is! Let it go, let it go, let it go. Love your honest story here JK and the pitfalls to people of a subtle life taker..stress. Be well my friend and loved.
John Sherry recently posted..Where Does The World Start And Where Do You Stop
John – thank you for the great comment. The theme you bring to the table is always powerful and always simple – so it’s interpreted with ease, making it easy to institute. “LET IT GO”. yes, it’s involving, but it’s simple at the same time. Added it to the list – thank you! AND – thank you again.
Thanks for the lesson on stress JK.
I think the most vital advice, is slowing down and as you’ve pointed out, it can very hard for we entrepreneurs. That urge to always want to create and do great things will always get in our way of resting. For me, not until when I can no longer go ahead do I remember how far I have gone without slowing down. what I am learning these days is that, I owe it to myself as well as those I am working desperately to satisfy to take good care of myself, or else, I might even be able to meet their needs anymore if I choose to continue like this.
Tito Philips, Jnr. recently posted..9 Ways How NOT To Start A Business
Tito – You’re welcome for the lesson. It’s an important lesson and one that I had to share with my friends. I hope it really inspires folks to take an inventory of what’s important to them and then realize how stress can take it all away.
Great reply – I added: Do it for others too!
Thanks for the continued support my friend. I’ll be in contact with you soon. peace.
Sing your favorite song OUT LOUD! Over half the stress gets drained whenever I start, “This is the song for the broken hearted…” And by the time I hit, “It’s my life….” Everything’s gone. Incidentally, no matter how stressful or depressing is the current task or problem, I find myself at a positive spot. So thanks, Bon Jovi! LOL!
ruzcarmen di romo recently posted..Bust ‘em daily stress!
Hey Ruzcarmen – welcome to hustlersnotebook! I appreciate you taking the time to comment and join the discussion. An important one.
Great tip! Sing Out Loud..I’m adding this to the list. I think this was good because everyone has a feel good song…and if we find that that sound doesn’t cheer us up, then something is going out – possibly and most likely stress related.
Thank you again for the comment. Take care.
Anytime, JK! Gosh, I find it really exciting to express my thoughts and silliness here! You, Bryan, Ishan and there’s this other guy…. hmmm… forgot. But anyways, am definitely on your “fans’ list” from now on. So watch out. I never ran out of things to say. LOL! Bless you, JK!
ruzcarmen di romo recently posted..Bust ‘em daily stress!
Thanks for the reply! I’m honored that you’re excited to express yourself here. I tell you, it’s certainly welcome. Bryan and Ishan are great guys – I love interacting on their sites as well. So – keep it coming Ruzcarmen! Be blessed!
Jk Allen recently posted..The Weight of Stress- A Paralyzing Force
JK – what’s up man? Hey thanks for sharing that story with us! That sounds like some pretty serious stuff but TRUST ME… I know all about stress.
Im sure you’re familiar with my story of why I decided to start IEC – In late 2008, I was a college graduate with loads of student debt in the middle of a deep recession and I had no job. I felt betrayed by the system, I felt lied to but ore than anything I was extremely stressed out! I would catch myself often throughout the day drifting in my insecurities about the future. That’s all I would think of during the day and that’s all I would think about at night. My face was not paralyzed, but I was really stressed out. So much that I was not able to sleep.
When I finally did land a job 8 months after graduation, I thought things were finally going to be OK and all my hard work was going to pay-off. WRONG! People in my own group started getting laid off 3 weeks into my new job. I suddenly found myself working harder than ever just to keep a job. I would work through my lunches to show I was a dedicated employee and I would even stay late at times. I was 23 year old and I was working myself to death. I was stressed more than ever and I literally started to loose my hair! I started freaking out, as the back of my head was all patchy (sounds funny thinking about it) that I immediately visited a dermatologist. I went though a few rounds of scalp hair growth injections but my hair grew back!
Anyway, make long story short! Stress is no joke! It’s the number one killer in America among the US workforce (or so i’ve heard) and your tips on identifying and relieving stress should definitely not be taken lightly!
Thanks for sharing JK!
Incredible story Hector. Stress is sneaky because while we’re in the middle of being beat down by it, we lose some of our ability to understand what is happening, which only allows us to become more affected. In many cases it takes a serious incident for us to stop and take a quick breather; identifying that we’ve been caught by its grip.
I appreciate you sharing this story – because I think physical matters really translate well for one to learn a lesson. No one wants to lose hair because or stress; or the ability to move part of their face.
Thank you Hector – peace.
Hi JK,
This story teaches a lot. You just reminded me how stress can kill a person. I have had many moments of stress but thankfully, I have always been able to solve them and get good breaks.
And that’s my lessons: Take breaks. I regularly take little or small breaks when they are due and do what I want to (except work, that is!)
Thanks for sharing, just retweeted!
Ishan recently posted..Do You Want To Stay A “Nobody” Or Become A Real Blogger
Ishan – great tip…simple and too the point. Take a break! I think it’s highly important for us to do this, to assess our situation. Added it to the list. Thank you
Jk,
This is a great post man! And thank you for sharing such a personal experience.
I find, in my life, that stress is the #1 cause of physical, mental, and spiritual decay. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I put two and two together…..every time I get weighed down with stress, I get sick!
Now I’m just like you. I can feel it coming, then I take some proactive measure to alleviate the the cause.
When I get stressed I always ask: Is anyone hurt or killed?
Seems primitive, but helps me keep things in perspective.
awesome, awesome, awesome post!
Hey Jason – thank you for the wonderful comment and sharing your action of dealing with stress. It’s a tough one – because is silent, sneaky, and unforgiving. BUT, it’s not more powerful than anyone person’s will – if you confront it, you can typically overcome it with right energy.
Thanks for the tip – It’s added to the list!
peace.
Wow, and I thought I get would too tight sometimes. [pushes coffee aside]
Life is a lot more fragile than we think, especially when we were young and “indestructible.”
You have list of solutions.
Thank for your story. I think I may get up from my chair now, go out into the sun, and take a quite little stroll with an empty mind for a bit
Rick
Rick LaPoint @ Internet Marketing recently posted..How to Make Your Graphics Load 6 Times Faster
Hey Rick – I thank you for stopping by. Seeing new faces is always delightful.
You’re right, life is fragile. We’re shatter’able (physically, mentally, and emotionally), if we allow ourselves to be.
I appreciate you taking the time to comment and to read to post. Thank you sir!
Oh, and I added: “Get some sun. The intake of the most pure form of vitamin D will surely provide an influx of positivity for your health. Stress hates vitamins!” to the list. Thank you!
Hi JK. I’ve been lurking for awhile. You have some awesome content here.
With regard to your post, the thing that we need to remember most is that we need balance in our lives. Sometimes when things get hectic or busy, we are not aware how imbalanced things have become. I know when things get hectic or busy for me, I’ll find myself thinking way too much for way too long. Your mind can only do so much processing per day!
One good tip is to keep a journal. Flushing things out on paper does wonders.
David
David recently posted..Mojo Killers and More
Greetings David! Welcome to Hustlers Notebook. Thanks for converting from lurker (if you will) to contributor. I appreciate you taking the time to reply and share your thoughts.
Great tip you provided. Thank you so much for that. I added it to the list!
I hope to see you back again…soon! peace.
Jk, somehow, I missed this post in my email. It’s been a crazy few days with the weather and all. I never felt the effects of your stress level, but I definitely know the feeling of stress. I’ve dealt with a lot of it through the years. It’s interesting how we all process stress differently, but it always takes a toll. I remember one time I was working for a company that was so strict on their employees. They were demanding and we had to be sharp and crisp and ready for business at all times.
One morning I got out of bed, jumped up, got a shower, got dressed (in a frantic hurry) when my wife turns over in bed and says, “What are you doing?”
“Gotta go to work,” I said in a hurry.
“It’s 3:30 in the morning,” she said, rubbing her eyes.
I blinked and glanced at the clock. I’ll be doggone. It WAS 3:30 AM. I don’t know what prompted me to get up, but that was a signal to me that I had gone too far. Thanks for posting. Hope the stress levels are minimized in your life, my friend.
Bryan recently posted..Do You Ever Feel Like a Failure
Hey Bryan – it’s all good that you missed – but I’m sure glad that you found it because it wouldn’t have turned out the same with out your presence…so thank you for stopping on by.
Crazy story – I’ve had a similar occurring int he past – but on a Saturday – and I work M-F. It was appalling, but once I realized it was Saturday I almost started break dancing!!!!! peace.
I face small bouts with stress – as every human – but I’ve learned my lesson Bryan – that’s why I felt the calling to share this story.
JK, My contribution is that stress can be lessened by careful contemplation. So much stress is related to people jumping to conclusions and acting out of instinct instead of really finding out about something – an apparently rude comment, a sharp retort, an angry look – they all can conjure up equally inappropriate responses if acted upon rashly or, with careful contemplation, a soothing or calming response that usually defuses a situation and allows the true cause of the initial trigger to be revealed.
Most often it is not personal, but related to stress in the life of the other person. A snappy response only adds fuel to the fire and no one wins. A soothing response, although sometimes not warranted, often will turn the whole situation around and everyone wins.
Michael.
Michael Pedzotti recently posted..Is this missing from your blogroll
Hi Michael, welcome to Hustlers Notebook. Thank you for stopping by and especially for commenting and contributing to this important cause. I greatly appreciate it. I love what you provided and find that it is based on taking a calm approach. I love it. I added: “Utilize careful contemplation. Take a calm approach in analyzing situations to avoid jumping to incorrect conclusions.”
Thank you so much. You brought a great amount of value!
Great point! Life is not about competition, I believe it’s about creativity! Everyone leads their own unique paths. Stress is the absolute worst thing in the universe I believe…it disconnects you from your spirit, infinite intellect and creativity.
Thanks for your wonderful tips!
Mike recently posted..Mike in the Morning 3 – Growth Zone
Hey Mike – Welcome to Hustlers Notebook and thank you for commenting!
I think what you said about stress sums it up extremely well. It disconnects life as it should be…if we let it. Again, thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts.
Stress is the greatest enemy to amn. It spoils relations, deprives us of happiness, takes away the peace away from our lives and lastly bring taers into those eyes that have never known what suffering is.
Ranjith recently posted..Acceptance and compromise…leading to ultimate rejection
It’s sneaky too. It’s creeps up on us when we don’t expect it. It gives signs, sure – but we’re often so caught up in the moment that we can’t recognize the signals.
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