Your Stress Can Kill You
And the more I look around
The more I see people managing it poorly...

Whether it's alcohol, drugs, or tobacco, just to name a few
Don't get me wrong, each and every one of the above I have used myself
But it took me a long time to be aware of times I was using them for stress management
When I reached that point I realized I had the ability to take action and start making changes
And find new ways to manage my stress that are not detrimental to my body and mind
For me, there are three things that I have focused on to manage stress recently
That not only help with my stress but are good for my mind and body
You see, the other options I mentioned before work too
But they come with a cost and not a benefit
Meaning they won't work forever
And will eventually kill you...
The Silence
This is a classic example
And has been around for centuries
But is still not practiced regularly by most people...
It can be done anywhere and only takes about 10 minutes
Bringing about a sense of calmness to your day when things are chaotic
Because that is exactly what you need when living in this fast past environment
Sometimes all the noise around us gets the best of us and we lose control of our thoughts
But when we sit down, close our eyes, and focus on our breathing, we can escape it
Allowing us to realize that the reality around us doesn't always have to be
And we have the ability to create our own reality that works for us
Where we can calm our emotions and alleviate the stress
So that we can re-focus and find energy again
Even amongst all the external pressure
This is how I use MEDITATION
To help manage my stress
And it helps...
The Flexibility
I used to think it was for women
And that men didn't practice at all really
Until I finally laid out the mat on the ground and focused...
If you've battled stress for years with poor management, this will resonate
Because if you're like me, you can feel the tension (stress) deep within your body
And you've completely lost your physical flexibility from your head all the way to your toes
I hate to break it to you, but this is from years of stress you've kept bottled up within
And the only way to get your flexibility back is to release all of that tension
Unfortunately, going to the gym and lifting doesn't do the same
In fact, it can actually lead to having less flexibility
But YOGA can actually break the mold
And help you release it all...
The Awareness
External factors are uncontrollable
And you will never be able to predict the future
That said, the more awareness you have the better off you are...
Take a minute here, and think of the last stressful moment you had recently
Often times it's an external factor that fueled it...could be work, family, finances etc.
Now think about the moment right before that external factor made you lose all your control
How can you go from being so calm and relaxed to now thinking the world is ending?
If you think about it, something just doesn't add up here and makes no sense
That's where the awareness comes in and gives you some control back
Because it's how we respond to the external factors that matter
Often times its us ourselves that create the stress response
So instead of letting it all in at once, put it on hold
And come back to it when you're ready
So that you can ACCEPT it
And take action...
The Lesson
My situation is not unique
And some stress is good to have
But too much stress will kill you in the end...
This is why I find it so important to find new ways to manage it
Because if you keep drinking alcohol, using drugs, and smoking tobacco
You may be able to manage your stress in the short term, but it will always come back
And in the meantime, you will only continue to damage your mind and your body
The two things that allow you to operate and build the life that you truly want
It took me about a decade to realize this myself, but now I have a solution
I am more aware now and make sure I use all of these tools regularly
I practice yoga a couple of times a week and meditate daily
It's the awareness that's probably hardest one for me
But the yoga and meditation help with that
So that I can learn to relax a bit more
And manage the stress better
You should do the same...
With Love,
Steven Arthur George
Ps...this will be the only CannaBeMe blog post for January 2023.
I will be back in your inbox the first week of February!