S T R E S S. YES! Stress!

By Smiles R Contagious | #LearnedMan

So, I was chatting the other day and someone asked me, “How do you deal with so many things at once?”

I smiled and said, “First off, I realized years ago that no one is immune to stress.”

For a long time, I denied it. I used to think my body’s reactions were just excitement or maybe fear of the unknown. Anxiety, even. But I learned that when my energy felt disrupted, when my peace felt off balance—that was my body speaking. Stress is real. It’s the signal, the warning light on the dashboard of your life.

The turning point for me came when I accepted that I wasn’t immune. That acceptance gave me power. Instead of ignoring it, I began to acknowledge stress, cope with it, and find ways to navigate it. I learned to see stress not only as a burden but also as a teacher.

What I Do With Stress

• I acknowledge it. Pretending it doesn’t exist doesn’t make it disappear.

• I cope with it. That could mean slowing down, journaling, or even laughing it out.

• I redirect it. I look toward a brighter day, a brighter future, instead of sitting in the storm.

Stress taught me mindfulness, optimism, and the value of being intentional about how I move forward.

Examples We Can All Relate To

• At Work: Deadlines pile up. Instead of letting anxiety run the show, I break big projects into smaller wins. That shift keeps me moving without getting swallowed by pressure.

• In Relationships: Miscommunication happens. Rather than holding it in, I’ve learned to pause, breathe, and speak truth with kindness. That keeps stress from boiling over.

• In Everyday Life: Traffic jams, long lines, unexpected bills—they’re stress triggers. My strategy? Use the time to pray, plan, or practice gratitude. Stress becomes a space for peace instead of anger.

The Final Beauty of Stress

The real beauty? Experience. Past experiences teach you how to recognize the signs early, how to cope faster, and how to avoid what no longer serves you—whether that’s people, places, or situations.

Stress is real. But the key is recognizing it, respecting it, and responding to it in healthy ways.

So, the next time stress shows up at your door, don’t deny it. Open the door, look it in the eye, and let it remind you: You’re human. But you’re also resilient.

✨ Smiles R Contagious ✨

#LearnedMan